So, once it's on the internet it's no longer considered a "secret," I suppose, but I wanted to share with you all a recipe that is near & dear to my heart: My Grandpy's Caramel Corn.
I use this recipe every year as part of our family tradition for some of our Christmas baking of treats. I don't claim it to be an easy recipe to make, it's time consuming & messy--which is probably why I only make it about once a year--but it's WORTH the efforts. Recently I made a batch as a thank-you for a babysitter of ours. The recipe was passed down to me from my mom's dad "Grandpy", who was a candy-maker extraordinaire. He shared his love of candies with his fellow troops & with children in Austria while he served as a 2nd Lieutenant with the U.S. Army during WW2 (pictured below). It brings me joy to share his love for sweet things and brings back happy childhood memories as I remember Grandpy always having a tray of his special homemade candies ready for us when we arrived to visit him in Ohio. In the years following his death my mom kept the traditions alive using his recipes. I truly hope you enjoy it!
Grandpy
You will need:
Ingredients
- 4-6 quarts of popped corn (The amount depends on how thick you're gonna want your caramel to coat; I make 4 and use the old fashioned stovetop method using olive or vegetable oil).
- 1/2 cup butter (unsalted)
- 1 cup brown sugar
- 1/2 cup corn syrup
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 1 teaspoon vanilla
- 2 shallow baking pans (I use 2- ungreased 9x13 glass casserole dishes)
- waxed paper
- 2 hours time
Pop corn.
Directions:
Preheat oven to 250 degrees.
Pop corn & put into ungreased baking pans so that it's nearly a single layer in the pans. (I add a step here in insure no one breaks a tooth eating the delicious finished product & scan through the poppped corn in the pans pulling out any unpopped kernels, burnt and/or loose hulls.)
In a medium saucepan (I prefer a copper-bottomed one), combine the butter, brown sugar, corn syrup, and salt.
Over medium-low heat (this will vary depending on your stovetop--mine is gas so I monitor the flame closely to avoid scorching), stirring frequently using a WOODEN spoon, bring ingredients to a boil.
Combine 1st 4 ingredients, Bring to boil.
After you reach stage pictured above, don't stir for 5 minutes (be sure heat is turned down nice & low at this point). Don't get nervous! The mixture is going to begin entering the candy stage and get extra bubbly; it will also begin to change color to a darker caramel tan.
Remove from heat.
Stir in the baking soda & vanilla (get ready for a "nuclear" reaction! when the baking soda & vanilla hit the mixture it gets exciting!!).
Reaction
Return to low heat, continuing to frequently stir. The mixture will lighten in color (because of the addition of baking soda) and appear foamy/airy in texture.
Foam
Continue to stir over low heat for about 5 more minutes. The mixture will darken slightly in color and continue to foam and rise up in the saucepan as it reaches higher temps. Remove from heat & turn off the stove top burner after the mixture has risen close to the top of the saucepan.
Slowly (& carefully--it's HOT) pour the mixture over the prepared popcorn in pans.
Spread
Using a large spatula or spoon, stir popcorn gently to coat the majority of the popcorn with the prepared caramel (don't worry, you won't be able to cover it all completely at this point). Place pans in the preheated oven. Set a timer for 15 min & clean out your saucepan while you wait (if you don't, the caramel will harden as it cools in the pan and become much harder to clean later).
Coat
15 minutes later, carefully remove pans from the oven and place on a heat resistant surface (I put hotpads on the counter and use that area because I spill popcorn when I stir). Stir popcorn with spatula or spoon (You'll notice that the caramel will cover more of the popcorn this time and be darker tan in color. Keep an eye out for any stray kernel & remove if necessary). Return to oven for another 15 minutes.
First 15 min. stage
Repeat above instructions. Use the 15 minutes while it's baking however you like ;-)
Second 15 min. stage
Repeat above stage for a third time. Use the time to prepare your counter-top table, or other desired space for cooling the popcorn onto waxed paper.
Third 15 min. stage
After this 3rd, 15 min., interval remove from oven, TASTE! (use caution, popcorn will be HOT). If it's "toasty" enough to your liking scoop out from pans onto the prepared waxed paper surface. If it's a little soggy & not quite toasty enough, return to oven for 5-10 more minutes. Turn oven off.
Soak pans immediately in warm soapy water (to avoid before-mentioned hard-to-clean caramelized pans).
Finished stage & Cooling
Break caramel corn apart as it cools on waxed paper and spread it out to completely cool it. You may add nuts or other candies at this point if you'd like to make it more "crunch & munchy." We like ours just like it is, plain and savory :-) (I admit though, I like a piece of dark chocolate occasionally after a bowl of caramel corn).
Finished Product
Tie it up with a bow, pour it into an airtight container, or eat it all at once from a bowl- however you eat it, ENJOY! :-)
P.S.
The inexperienced-caramel-corn-maker Hubby tested the recipe & instructions today and was successful, but please feel free to ask questions or leave a comment if you have questions, etc.
