Confession: I bring my own snacks into the movie theater. It feels a bit sneaky, but it is really something I take pride in. No overpriced candy or bags of stale popcorn with fake butter-y liquid for this girl. On such occasions, caramel corn is my contraband of choice. I find it the perfect movie treat because it is both sweet and salty at once. Two birds with one stone, so to speak. Unless I'm at the movies with my brother in Los Angeles snacking on this amazingly delicious stuff, I'm forced to find my own caramel corn, which, until now, I've always purchased from the store. Although most brands are admittedly delicious, most are overly sweet with not enough salt. I decided to try my own version and added a generous amount of flaked sea salt. Buttery, caramely and crunchy. With the perfect salty bite. This is the snack to smuggle in to the action flick or romantic comedy of your choosing.
Salted Caramel Corn
adapted from this recipe
3 Tbsp canola or vegetable oil
1/2 cup popcorn kernels
3 cups sugar
3 Tbsp butter
2 tsp kosher salt
1 1/2 tsp baking soda
1-2 Tbsp flaked sea salt
Spray a large mixing bowl, rubber spatula and rimmed baking sheet with non-stick spray. Set all aside.
In a large, covered pot or dutch oven, heat the oil over medium-high heat. Once hot, add the popcorn kernels and cover. Shake the pot constantly until the popcorn has finished popping (about 4-5 minutes after the first kernel pops). Be careful not to burn the popcorn, shaking the pot helps to prevent this. Pour the popcorn into the sprayed mixing bowl and set aside.
In a large sauce pot, bring the sugar, butter, kosher salt and a 1/2 cup of water to a bowl over high heat. Allow it to come to a bubble and cook, without stirring, until light golden in color (about 10 minutes once the sugar starts boiling). Remove caramel from the heat and immediately whisk in the baking soda. Be careful as the mixture will bubble and become thick.
Pour hot caramel over the popcorn and stir with the sprayed spatula until the popcorn is evenly coated. Quickly transfer caramel corn to the sprayed sheet pan and spread out as much as possible, using the spatula. Be careful as the caramel is very hot. Immediately sprinkle with the flaked sea salt, using as little or as much as you prefer. Allow caramel corn to cool completely, break apart and enjoy. Keep in an airtight container for up to a week.
3 Tbsp canola or vegetable oil
1/2 cup popcorn kernels
3 cups sugar
3 Tbsp butter
2 tsp kosher salt
1 1/2 tsp baking soda
1-2 Tbsp flaked sea salt
Spray a large mixing bowl, rubber spatula and rimmed baking sheet with non-stick spray. Set all aside.
In a large, covered pot or dutch oven, heat the oil over medium-high heat. Once hot, add the popcorn kernels and cover. Shake the pot constantly until the popcorn has finished popping (about 4-5 minutes after the first kernel pops). Be careful not to burn the popcorn, shaking the pot helps to prevent this. Pour the popcorn into the sprayed mixing bowl and set aside.
In a large sauce pot, bring the sugar, butter, kosher salt and a 1/2 cup of water to a bowl over high heat. Allow it to come to a bubble and cook, without stirring, until light golden in color (about 10 minutes once the sugar starts boiling). Remove caramel from the heat and immediately whisk in the baking soda. Be careful as the mixture will bubble and become thick.
Pour hot caramel over the popcorn and stir with the sprayed spatula until the popcorn is evenly coated. Quickly transfer caramel corn to the sprayed sheet pan and spread out as much as possible, using the spatula. Be careful as the caramel is very hot. Immediately sprinkle with the flaked sea salt, using as little or as much as you prefer. Allow caramel corn to cool completely, break apart and enjoy. Keep in an airtight container for up to a week.
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| Golden kernels. |
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| Freshly popped corn. |
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| Make yours as salty as you wish. |
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| Packed up and ready for my weekend matinee. |
Love how uniformly coated they are! Much more flavorful than the ones they sell at the cinemas, for sure.
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