Caramel Popcorn

So, my very dear friend asked me to make some caramel popcorn for her sister's baby shower. For now, we made a test and it resulted fantastic! The flavor is pretty good, they are sweet (not too much), crunchy, toasted... So yum! And they are made from scratch. So, after looking at many different recipes, we decided to go with Christina's recipe, but we made just half of it and adapted it a little bit.

We used (sorry for the blurry picture):

• 2 sticks butter (1 cup)
• 1 cup brown sugar
• 1/4 cup light corn syrup
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1/4 tsp baking soda
• 1/2 tsp vanilla extract
• 10 cups popped popcorn

First, you need to pop the popcorn. We placed the corn in a paper bag, closed it with scotch tape and placed it in the microwave. The rule I invented ;) goes like this: for every 1/4 cup of corn kernels, you will heat it for 1:50 min in the microwave. With this quantity, you will get around 3 to 4 cups of popcorn. 

While adding corn kernels, just add 10 seconds intervals while you listen the corn pop. I don't recommend adding a lot more corn because this is not a big bag.

Now, place the popcorn in a non-stick roaster or cookies sheet and let them sit. (In the picture they are in a plastic bowl)

Preheat oven to 250F. In a deep skillet, melt butter. 

When melted, mantain medium heat.

Add brown sugar. Stir until dissolved. I recommend using a wooden spoon.

Add corn syrup.

Continue stirring.

Add salt and stir.

Bring to a boil stirring constantly. Let it boil for 4 minutes with no stirring.

Now, remove from heat and add baking soda and vanilla. Stir.

Now, cover the popcorn with the caramel.

Ok, so we tested a glass Pyrex and the non stick roaster. DO NOT USE PYREX. The caramel will cool faster, and IT WILL STICK, NO MATTER WHAT YOU DO, IT WILL STICK in the Pyrex, leaving your popcorn without enough caramel to cover them.

Now, immediatly, after topping with caramel your popcorn, start stirring, carefull try not to break the popcorn, until they are completely covered.

Look at Liz, my friend, stirring.

Now, place the roaster(s) in the oven for one hour, removing and stirring every 15 minutes.

And there you go!