I usually don't start making caramel corn until closer to the holidays because once I start I can't stop! I started early this month making it for my monthly activity for allrecipe.com ambassador program as one of the brand partners is Karo Syrup. I've made this several times this month and every time it gets devoured quickly. Warning.....It's very addicting. The recipe for classic caramel corn on allrecipes.com is very good but I have an all-time favorite recipe that I got from - Amateur Gourmet. Both recipes are good so if you love caramel corn, make it at home, you won't be sorry.
6 quarts (24 cups) of Popped corn (place popped corn in a large roasting pan)
1 cup butter
1/2 cup light Karo corn syrup
2 cups brown sugar (use only C & H brand *see important note)
1 tsp salt
1 tsp vanilla (I used 1/2 tsp vanilla and 1/2 tsp maple extract)
1/2 tsp baking soda
Heat your oven to 250F. Place popped corn in large roasting pan in preheated oven while you make the caramel. (Keeping the popped corn and pan warm will help coat the caramel) In a large saucepan melt the butter, stir in the corn syrup, brown sugar and salt. Stir until the mixture comes to a boil (medium-high heat). Boil (medium-high heat) without stirring for 5 minutes (making sure to use a timer because you don't want to go longer as it will burn). Remove from the heat, stir in the soda maple and vanilla (Careful! it foams!). Pour over the popped corn and mix well in roasting pan. (Don't be too concerned about coating all the popcorn as it will coat evenly when you are stirring every ten minutes that it's in the oven.) Bake for 40 minutes, stirring every 15 minutes to evenly coat (making sure to mix all the caramel that forms on the bottom of the pan. Let it cool and eat!
*Important note: Use only C & H Pure Cane Sugar. Cheap grocery store brand brown sugar just doesn't have the same flavor and quality. The caramel comes out velvety smooth, whereas the other types of brown sugar produces a grainy texture.
It's also interesting to note that when you add the baking soda and vanilla the consistency becomes very strange--it almost looks like caramel shaving cream. I have to admit the first time I made this never fail caramel corn I failed! The problem I had is that I boiled the caramel on high heat and it burned. I corrected that to medium-high heat and it turns out amazing.
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| I use this 2 quart bowl to measure out popped corn. Recipe calls for 6 quarts. |
Use a large roasting pan to mix and bake caramel corn. As it bakes you will stir every 15 minutes, this helps to coat all the popped corn into caramel goodness!
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| Lay out to cool on a piece of parchment paper. Be warned......once you start eating this you may not be able to stop! |
Here are a few other Karo syrup recipes that are keepers.
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| This is the best pecan pie, it's a keeper. Here's the link to the recipe on Allrecipes - Premium Pecan Pie |
These are a family favorite. Here's a link to the recipe on allrecipes.com - Chocolate Scotcheroos
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