National Caramel Popcorn Day: How To Make Your Own
Not only is it TGIF, or Thank God It’s Friday, but this week Friday also doubles as National Caramel Popcorn Day. Easily celebrate both by sitting back and munching on some of the delicious snack, but go the fun route and make the sugary and salty treat yourself. Don’t worry, as far as cooking goes, this is one of the more simple items to prepare.
Here’s how to make your own caramel popcorn:
A salted caramel popcorn recipe from the “Rachael Ray Show” website has canola oil, popcorn kernels, sugar and sea salt as the only necessary ingredients for a basic, homemade version of this dessert-like snack.
To start off, you have to make the actual popcorn first. To do so, heat up 2 tablespoons of the oil in a large pot before adding 3/4 cup of the popcorn kernels and cover, per the recipe. The kernels should pop over the course of about five minutes as you’re shaking the pot consistently over the flame. Quickly pour out the popped popcorn on baking sheets coated with nonstick spray.
In another, much smaller pan, mix together 2 cups sugar, 1 1/4 teaspoons salt and 1/4 cup water on low heat until the sugar is completely dissolved. Keep it on medium heat until it becomes a dark, amber color syrup.
With that, you’re almost all set. Drizzle that caramel you just made over the popcorn, let it cool and enjoy National Caramel Popcorn Day the right away. If you want a more advanced version, try adding some nuts — walnuts, pecans or almonds — like in Betty Crocker’s “Oven Caramel Corn” recipe. Or, take it even further and give the nut-filled caramel popcorn a dark chocolate drizzle, which is what Land O Lakes’ “Chunky Caramel Popcorn” calls for in its recipe. Though this one has a bit more to it, it asks that you already start with the popped popcorn, which means that you can use microwaveable packets if that makes it all a little bit easier.
What are you waiting for? Get popping and get munching on this fine National Caramel Popcorn Day.
© Copyright IBTimes 2024. All rights reserved.