Caramel Corn
I have loved caramel corn since childhood. This is the recipe my grandmother, Mary Rulli made for us. It is by far the best caramel corn, and it brings back much loved memories of grandma.
Ingredients
3 qts popped corn (12 cups)*3 cups nuts - use your favorite like mixed nuts, cocktail peanuts - my favorite is either pecans or walnuts (3 cups is a lot of nuts - adjust to your taste)
1 cup firmly packed brown sugar (I use light)
1/2 cup KARO light or dark corn syrup - I prefer the light corn syrup and use a generic store brand
1/2 cup melted butter
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 - 1 tsp vanilla
1/2 tsp baking soda
* 1/2 cup of kernels makes 12 - 15 cups of popped corn.
Instructions
In large shallow roasting pan - 17" x 12" x 2" Or two 9" x 13" pans, combine popcorn and nuts. Place in 250⁰F oven while preparing glaze. In 2 qt saucepan, melt the butter, stir in brown sugar, corn syrup, and salt. Stirring constantly, bring to boil over medium heat. Without stirring, boil an additional 5 minutes. Remove from heat; stir in vanilla and baking soda.Gradually pour the hot syrup over the warm popped corn and nuts. Mix with rubber spatula - grandma would put on hospital gloves and mix with her hands. If I'm making a batch with the same nuts, I use the "bowl" in my large crock pot to mix the popped corn, nuts and syrup. I like the wide, oval opening for stirring.
If you'd like a batch using different kinds of nuts but don't want to mix them - divide the popped corn into two 9" x 13" pans with 6 cups in each. Use different kinds of nuts in each pan. Then bake. If using walnuts or pecans - I think 1 cup in each pan is plenty. Pour hot syrup over warm popcorn and nuts; stir to coat in the baking pan. The popcorn won't be fully covered - stirring during baking takes care of that.
Bake uncovered in 250⁰ oven, 1 hour, stirring about every 15 - 20 minutes. This will coat the popcorn. *OR* Bake uncovered in 300⁰ oven for 30 minutes, stirring every 10 minutes. I didn't see any difference in the final product. Cool; break apart. Store in lightly covered container.
TIP 1: Regardless of the nuts you use, I find using 2 pans easier to stir. Also I use non-stick pans for easier clean up. TIP 2: The caramel pot and baking pans are easy to clean - even when the caramel hardens on them. Soak 5 -10 minutes in hot water and they are ready to wash.