Cacao Nib Caramel Corn Recipes

CLASSIC CARAMEL CORN

Steps:

• Spray large shallow roasting pan with cooking spray. Add popcorn and place in preheated 250 degrees F oven while preparing caramel.
• Mix brown sugar, corn syrup, butter and salt in a heavy 2-quart saucepan. Stirring constantly, bring to a boil over medium heat.
• Boil 5 minutes without stirring. Remove from heat. Stir in baking soda and vanilla; mix well.
• Pour syrup over warm popcorn, stirring to coat evenly.
• Bake for 45 minutes, stirring occasionally. Remove from oven and spread on foil that has been sprayed with cooking spray.
• Cool; break apart. Store in tightly covered container.

THE EASIEST AND BEST CARAMEL CORN I'VE EVER MADE

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 200°.
• Spray your largest cookie sheets.
• Pop the popcorn in the oil and set aside. I do this in two batches. Place in a very large bowl. (Plastic bowls work really well because the caramel won't stick; you could also spray the bowl with a bit of Pam).
• Over medium heat in a heavy saucepan, melt butter and stir in brown sugar, salt and syrup. Bring to a rolling boil.
• When it starts to boil, boil a full 5 minutes stirring constantly with a wooden spoon. (I used a plastic spatula and ended up sacrificing it)
• Remove from the heat and add the soda. Pour caramel directly on the popcorn and stir to coat completely.
• Pour popcorn onto the sheets and bake for 1 hour, stirring every 15-20 minutes. Allow to cool and break into pieces. Store in zip-top bags.

NUTTY CARAMEL CORN

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 300 degrees F. Line a baking sheet with a piece of parchment paper and spray lightly with cooking spray.
• Put the oil and 3 or 4 popcorn kernels in a large pot with a lid (at least 6 quarts). Cover the pot and turn the heat up to medium-high. Wait until you hear one of the kernels pop, then uncover the pot and add the remaining kernels. Quickly stir everything together then replace the lid. Cook the popcorn until the kernels begin popping and then reduce the heat slightly. Cook, shaking often, until the rate of popping starts to slow, 2 to 3 minutes. Do not wait for all of the kernels to pop or they will burn. Take off the heat.
• Combine the brown sugar, corn syrup, butter and salt in a medium pot. Heat over medium heat until melted and smooth. Stir in the baking soda.
• Pour the nuts on top of the popcorn. Then pour the caramel into the pot with the popcorn; stir to coat and spread the popcorn onto the prepared baking sheet.
• Bake, stirring occasionally, until slightly golden, about 20 minutes. Cool completely, and then break apart before serving.

CARAMEL CORN

Steps:

• Pop popcorn according to package directions.
• Have two bowls ready.
• Pour popcorn in one bowl.
• Gently Shake the bowl to get the seeds to the bottom of the bowl.
• Remove popcorn slowly into the second bowl leaving seeds in the 1st bowl.
• Toss seeds. Repeat with the second and third bag.
• Prepare 2 baking sheets with a baking mat or parchment paper.
• Preheat oven to 250*F
• In a pot, add butter and cook over medium heat until melted.
• Add brown sugar, corn syrup and salt.
• Bring to a boil and cook for an additional 4 minutes, stirring regularly so caramel doesn't burn on the bottom of the pan.
• After 4 minutes, turn off the heat and remove the pan from heat.
• Add vanilla extract and be prepared for the mixture to spit at you. Stir to incorporate.
• Add baking soda and stir. Mixture will become fluffy and increase in volume.
• Pour caramel mixture over your prepared popcorn.
• Stir well, careful not to touch the caramel mixture to your skin or it will burn you.
• Spread caramel corn on baking sheets, dividing mixture between the two sheets.
• Evenly space the racks in your oven so you can get both in there at the same time, one on top and one on bottom.
• Bake for 15 minutes.
• Remove caramel corn, and stir. Place back in oven on the opposite oven shelf.
• Repeat 15 minute baking and stirring intervals until caramel corn has been baked 2 times total.
• Remove from the oven, stir and let cool.
• I like to stir again after caramel corn has been out of the oven for 5 minutes to prevent clumping.
• Serve once cool.

COCONUT CARAMEL CORN

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 200*F In a pot, mix brown sugar, corn syrup and coconut oil. Bring to a boil and cook for 5 minutes. Remove from heat. Add baking soda, cream of tartar and salt. Mix well. Pour over the popcorn and carefully mix. Pour caramel popcorn in a deep dish roasting pan and bake for 40 minutes, stirring after 20 minutes. Remove from oven and stir for 3 - 5 minutes or until popcorn cools. This will prevent the popcorn from clumping.

CARAMEL CORN II

Steps:

• Add 1 tablespoon of the oil to a 4 quart saucepan, and heat over high heat. When oil is hot, add 1/2 cup of popping corn. Keep pan moving constantly. When corn stops popping, remove from heat. Repeat until all corn has been popped. Place popped corn into a buttered bowl.
• In a 3 quart saucepan, combine sugar, salt, butter, dark corn syrup, and water. Stir until sugar dissolves. Stir in vinegar. Boil sugar mixture to hard ball stage, 248 degrees F (118 degrees C). Remove caramel from heat. Stir in soda. Beat to thoroughly dissolve the soda.
• Pour hot caramel over popcorn, and quickly stir into popcorn; work quickly for the caramel sets up fast. Spread out on wax paper to cool. Store in a tightly covered container.

LAYERED BROWNIES/WHITE CHOCOLATE CARAMEL/CACAO NIB GELATO

Steps:

• FOR CANDIED PECANS:.
• Lightly butter baking sheet.
• Stir sugar and 1/4 cup water in large nonstick skillet over medium heat until sugar dissolves.
• Increase heat and boil until sugar syrup is light golden, occasionally brushing down sides of skillet with wet pastry brush, about 8 minutes.
• Add pecans and stir until syrup coats pecans, about 1 minute; immediately pour pecans out onto prepared baking sheet; spread in single layer with heatproof spatula.
• Cool completely and coarsely chop nuts.
• *Do Ahead: Can be made 2 days ahead. Store airtight at room temperature.
• FOR BROWNIES:.
• Preheat oven to 350°F.
• Line 8x8x2-inch metal baking pan with foil; butter foil.
• Combine 1/2 cup butter and bittersweet chocolate in heavy medium saucepan; stir over medium-low heat until melted and smooth.
• Remove from heat; cool slightly.
• Whisk cocoa powder, flour, and salt in small bowl.
• Whisk sugar, eggs, and vanilla in medium bowl to blend.
• Pour butter mixture into sugar mixture; whisk until blended; add cocoa mixture; whisk until blended.
• Transfer brownie batter to prepared baking pan; smooth top (layer will be thin).
• Bake brownie until tester inserted into center comes out with moist crumbs attached, 18 to 20 minutes.
• Allow brownie to cool slightly, then gently press down on edges to form flat, even layer.
• Cool completely in pan on rack.
• FOR WHITE-CHOCOLATE CARAMEL:.
• Spoon 1 tablespoon water into small bowl; sprinkle gelatin over and stir to blend.
• Let stand until gelatin softens, about 15 minutes.
• Meanwhile, combine remaining 2 tablespoons water, sugar, and pinch of salt in heavy small saucepan.
• Stir over medium heat until sugar dissolves. Increase heat and boil until syrup is deep amber, occasionally swirling pan and brushing down sides with wet pastry brush, about 8 minutes.
• Slowly add cream (mixture will bubble vigorously) & reduce heat to low.
• Stir to dissolve any caramel bits.
• Remove from heat; let cool 5 minutes.
• Add gelatin mixture; stir until gelatin dissolves.
• Add white chocolate; whisk until melted and smooth; whisk in butter.
• Pour caramel atop cooled brownie; spread evenly to cover completely.
• Chill uncovered until caramel firms slightly, at least 8 hours or overnight.
• FOR BITTERSWEET-CHOCOLATE GANACHE:.
• Bring cream to simmer in small saucepan; remove from heat.
• Add chocolate; whisk until melted and smooth.
• Cool until mixture is slightly thickened but still pourable, about 15 minutes.
• Pour ganache atop caramel on brownie; spread just to edges.
• Sprinkle chopped candied pecans evenly over.
• Chill uncovered until ganache is firm enough to cut, about 4 hours.
• **DO AHEAD: Can be made 2 days ahead. Cover and keep chilled.
• CACAO NIB GELATO:.
• Combine whipping cream, milk, and cacao nibs in heavy large saucepan.
• Scrape in the seeds from vanilla bean; add bean and bring mixture to simmer; remove from heat.
• Cover and let mixture steep 30 minutes; uncover and return to simmer.
• Whisk egg yolks and sugar in large heatproof bowl until mixture is pale yellow and slightly thickened.
• Gradually add hot cream mixture to yolk mixture, whisking until blended.
• Return mixture to same saucepan and stir over medium low heat until custard thickens and coats back of spoon when finger is drawn across and instant-read thermometer inserted in custard registers 170ºF, about 5 minutes (do not boil).
• Transfer custard to medium bowl; cover and chill overnight.
• Pour custard through fine strainer set over bowl, discard solids in strainer.
• Transfer custard to ice cream maker and proocess according to manufacturer's instructions & transfer gelato to freezer container.
• Cover and freeze until ice cream is firm, at least 8 hours or overnight.
• ***DO AHEAD - Can be made 3 days ahead; keep frozen.
• ASSEMBLY:.
• Using foil as aid, lift brownie out of pan; place on work surface.
• Fold foil sides down.
• Using sharp knife, trim off about 1/4 inch of brownie on all sides.
• Cut brownie into eight 3 1/2-inch-long, 13/4-inch-wide bars.
• Place 1 brownie bar and scoop of Cacao Nib Gelato on each of 8 plates and serve.
• E N J O Y!