Caramel Corn

From Bon Appetit - 

Making Caramel Corn Is Easier Than It Has Any Right to Be

It’s caramel corn’s world and I’m just living in it.

BY JESSIE SHEEHAN 

Here’s how to make my caramel corn:

Heat your oven to 250° F and prepare a baking sheet by lining it with parchment paper and securing that paper at each corner with a little cooking spray. Next, make 10 cups of unsalted popped popcorn. You can do this (my favorite way) by microwaving ½ cup unpopped kernels in a large microwave-safe bowl covered with a microwave-safe plate on high for 6–8 minutes depending on the strength of your microwave. Or, if you’re not as fond of your microwave as I am, you can place ½ cup unpopped kernels and 1 Tbsp. vegetable oil in a large, covered pot on the stovetop over medium heat and pop away, shaking the pot over the flame periodically. (More details here, if you need them.) Transfer the popped corn to a large bowl.

Now it’s caramel time. In a medium pot over medium-high heat, bring 1 cup light brown sugar, ¼ cup Lyle’s Golden Syrup or light corn syrup, 2 Tbsp. molasses (which will give the corn a little bit of a Cracker Jack feel), and 10 Tbsp. unsalted butter to a boil, stirring occasionally with a rubber spatula. Let the caramel boil without stirring until thick and fragrant, about 3 minutes. Now take the pot off the heat and whisk in 1 tsp. Diamond Crystal kosher salt, ½ tsp. baking soda, and 2 tsp. vanilla extract. Pour the caramel over the popcorn and stir to coat.

Scrape the coated corn onto the prepared baking sheet—you’ll need to pile it on—and bake, stirring every 20 minutes, until the caramel has darkened slightly and the popcorn is dry to the touch, about 1 hour. Let the caramel corn cool to room temp before giving it away in cute little bags, serving it in a large bowl, or indulging straight from the baking sheet. 

But regardless of whether you share it with your pals or eat every last kernel solo, consider yourself warned: Caramel corn this good and this easy will be made again (and again, and again).

https://www.bonappetit.com/story/caramel-popcorn