Crunchy Candy Bar Caramel Corn

Crunchy Candy Bar Caramel Corn

Time: 30 minutes + 15 minutes to set up

Yield: One large jelly roll pan full

Recipe adapted from Your Homebased Mom

16 C popped popcorn (1/2 C unpopped)

1 C brown sugar

1/4 C corn syrup

1/2 C butter

1/2 t baking soda

1 t vanilla

15 fun sized candy bars (I used twix, milky way and 1000 Grands)

1 C white chocolate chips

1/2 C semi sweet chocolate chips

1 t shortening

1. Pop 16 cups of popcorn.

 

2. Into a medium sized glass bowl, or large glass measuring cup, place the butter, brown sugar and corn syrup. Heat it in the microwave for 1 minute. Stir the ingredients together with a wooden spoon. Repeat this step four more times. (Total of 5 minutes in the microwave)

Heat and stir…

Heat and stir…

Heat and stir…

and a final “heat and stir”. It should be very bubbly and hot at this point.

3. Add the baking soda, vanilla,and a dash of salt. 

4. Pour the popcorn into a large brown paper grocery sack.

5. Pour the caramel right into the bag on top of the popcorn. Stir it around with a wooden spoon. 

6. Fold the bag over and place it in the microwave, heat for 1 minute. Take the bag out of the microwave and shake it….shake it…..shake it.

 

7. Return the bag to the microwave and heat it for an additional 30 second, then shake it again. 

8. Pour the caramel corn out onto a large jelly roll pan, lined with parchment paper. 

9. Chop up the candy bars and lay them out over the caramel corn. 

10. Heat the white chocolate chips in the microwave, for 30 seconds at a time, stirring after each heating interval. Don’t let the chocolate get too hot. Add 1/2 t shortening to the melted chocolate and stir to combine. 

11. Drizzle the white chocolate over the top of the caramel corn and candy bars. 

12. Melt the semi sweet chocolate just like you melted the white chocolate. Drizzle it over the caramel corn. 

 

13. Let the chocolate set up (you can pop it into the fridge for 10 minutes to hurry along the process). Break it up into chunks and serve. Store any leftovers in an air tight container.

 

Recipe and photo source: Jamie Cook's It Up

Nerds Popcorn

You can incorporate just about any candy into popcorn.

Nerds Popcorn

12-15 c. air-popped popcorn
1 lb. vanilla almond bark
2-3 squares chocolate almond bark
1/2 c. Nerds candy

Pop popcorn and remove kernels. In a double boiler over medium low heat, melt the vanilla almond bark (or melt in microwave). Remove from heat and add candy. Stir to combine. Pour over popcorn and gently stir until well coated. Lay out on a wax paper lined cookie sheet and let cool.

Melt chocolate almond bark and drizzle over popcorn. Allow to cool completely before eating.

Peppermint Surprise Popcorn

Peppermint Surprise Popcorn

12-14 c. air popped popcorn, (don't use buttered or salted microwave popcorn)
1 lb. vanilla almond bark
2-3 squares chocolate almond bark, or 1/2 c. chocolate chips
10 Oreo cookies, roughly chopped
1/2 c. crushed peppermint candy
2 c. miniature marshmallows

Pop popcorn and remove kernels. In a double boiler over medium low heat, melt the vanilla almond bark. Add peppermint candy and Oreos, stir to combine. Pour almond bark mixture over popcorn, stir a few times to cool the almond bark, then add the marshmallows. Stir until all popcorn in coated. Pour onto parchment paper lined cookie sheet. While it is cooling, melt the chocolate almond bark or chips. Drizzle over popcorn. Cool completely before breaking apart.

*You can also melt the almond bark in the microwave if you choose.

Peanut Butter and Chocolate Caramel Corn

Peanut Butter and Chocolate Caramel Corn

1 3.3 oz. bag Kettle Corn popcorn, popped and all unpopped kernels removed

1 c. Reese's peanut butter chips (you are fine using generic too)

6 Tablespoons butter
3/4 Cup packed brown sugar
1/3 Cup corn syrup
¼ teaspoon salt

Preheat oven to 250 degrees F. Place popped popcorn into a large bowl.

Place butter, peanut butter chips, brown sugar, corn syrup and salt into a medium saucepan over medium heat. Stir constantly until mixture comes to a light boil. Remove from heat and pour evenly over popcorn. Gently stir to coat. Place popcorn on a baking sheet that has been sprayed lightly with non stick cooking spray. Set aside while making the chocolate popcorn.

Chocolate Caramel Corn

1 3.3oz bag Kettle Corn popcorn, popped and all un-popped kernels removed

1 c. Cup semi sweet chocolate chips (I actually used some leftover Halloween candy. I just chopped up 1 cup of Crunch bars)
6 Tablespoons butter
3/4 Cup packed brown sugar
1/3 Cup corn syrup
¼ teaspoon salt

Place popped popcorn into a large bowl.

Place chocolate chips, butter, brown sugar, corn syrup and salt into a medium saucepan over medium heat. Stir constantly until mixture comes to a light boil. Remove from heat and pour evenly over popcorn. Gently stir to coat. Bake in 250 oven for 30 minutes, stirring every 15 minutes.

You can do both the peanut butter and the chocolate popcorn at the same time. Just don't put them on the same baking sheet.  After 15 minutes of baking switch the baking sheets from top rack to bottom and bottom rack to top.  Be careful not to over cook them. Do not go any longer than 30 minutes or your popcorn with be really tough and hard to chew.

Remove from oven and pour onto wax paper to cool. Break into pieces and serve.

Vanilla Popcorn

Another oldie but goody.

Vanilla Popcorn

1 cube (1/2 cup) butter
1 c. sugar
3/4 c. light corn syrup
1 Tbsp vanilla (yes this is 1 Tbsp and not a tsp.)
Air-popped popcorn

Melt butter in a medium saucepan. Add sugar and corn syrup, and bring to a boil over medium heat. While stirring constantly, boil for 1 minute. Remove from heat and add vanilla. Pour over air-popped popcorn and stir well until all pieces are coated.

Pumpkin Spice and Chocolate Caramel Corn

Hershey's has now come out with pumpkin spice flavored kisses. If you like pumpkin, you have to try these. I found them at Target. If you can't find the kisses for the recipe you can substitute 1 cup of butterscotch chips.

Pumpkin Spice and Chocolate Caramel Corn

1 3.3 oz bag Kettle corn popcorn, popped and all un-popped kernels removed

1 c. dry roasted peanuts (I used pecans)

2 c. unwrapped pumpkin spice Hershey's kisses (about 1 10 oz. bag equals 2 cups)

6 Tablespoons butter
3/4 Cup packed brown sugar
1/3 Cup corn syrup
¼ teaspoon salt

1. Preheat oven to 250 degrees F. Place popped popcorn and peanuts onto a large rimmed baking sheet that has been sprayed lightly with non stick cooking spray.

2. Place kisses, butter, brown sugar, corn syrup and salt into a medium saucepan over medium heat. Stir constantly until mixture comes to a light boil. Remove from heat and pour evenly over popcorn and nuts. Gently stir to coat mixture over popcorn. Bake in oven for 30 minutes, stirring every 15 minutes.

3. Remove from oven and pour onto parchment paper to cool. Break into pieces and serve. Enjoy!

Chocolate Caramel Corn

1 3.3oz bag Kettle Corn popcorn, popped and all un-popped kernels removed
1 Cup dry roasted peanuts (I used pecans)
1 Cup semi sweet chocolate chips
6 Tablespoons butter
3/4 Cup packed brown sugar
1/3 Cup corn syrup
¼ teaspoon salt

1. Preheat oven to 250 degrees F. Place popped popcorn and peanuts onto a large rimmed baking sheet that has been sprayed lightly with non stick cooking spray.

2. Place chocolate chips, butter, brown sugar, corn syrup and salt into a medium saucepan over medium heat. Stir constantly until mixture comes to a light boil. Remove from heat and pour evenly over popcorn and nuts. Gently stir to coat mixture over popcorn. Bake in oven for 30 minutes, stirring every 15 minutes.

3. Remove from oven and pour onto parchment paper to cool. Break into pieces and serve. Enjoy!

Recipe source: picky-palate.com

Peanut Butter Caramel Popcorn

I LOVE this popcorn. It is great all by itself or you could add stuff to it like: peanuts, marshmallows, drizzled milk chocolate, or drizzled white chocolate.

Peanut Butter Caramel Popcorn

12-16 c. popped popcorn
5 Tbsp. margarine or butter
1/2 c. sugar
1/2 c. brown sugar
1/2 c. light corn syrup
1 c. peanut butter

In a saucepan, bring butter, sugar, brown sugar and corn syrup to a boil. Boil for 1 minute. Stir in the peanut butter and immediately remove from heat when mixture is smooth. Quickly pour over popped popcorn and mix well. Allow to cool. If desired, spread out on waxed paper and drizzle with chocolate.