(2018) Canoe’s Caramel-Coated Popcorn and Peanuts

Perfect now that it’s finally gotten cool (or even downright cold) at night. This is when I want to curl up with a bowl of popcorn, sit under a quilt and read. Or make up a big bowl of popcorn and then turn it into treats. Like this wonderful recipe from Canoe. We ran it in the AJC back in 2012.

Canoe’s version of an old-fashioned favorite, Cracker Jack, is part of their Popcorn Ice Cream Sundae. This dessert features popcorn ice cream layered with salted caramel sauce, topped with sweetened whipped cream and garnished with a handful of this addictive snack. This recipe comes from Canoe’s executive pastry chef Sarah Koob. One key to success is to move quickly when combining the caramel, popcorn and peanuts at the end.

Carol’s Caramel Corn

Preheat your oven to 200°F and line a half-sheet pan (18″ x 13″ pan) with parchment paper. Pour the popped corn into a large bowl, at least 6 quarts, and set aside. In a large saucepan over medium-high heat cook the molasses, brown sugar, butter, and corn syrup, stirring occasionally, until the sugar dissolves. Remove Read More…

Bacon and Cashew Caramel Corn

First of all, I hear there’s great consternation and confusion about how to handle those beautiful ears of popcorn in your box. We got popcorn last year, and I gave it all to Marcia Killingsworth – your faithful photographer – because she loves popcorn so much. Come to discover today that she tried to take the kernels off the cob before popping them and gave it up as an impossible job. I’m guessing last year’s popcorn went to feed the squirrels in her neighborhood.

The good news is that I’m keeping all the popcorn in this box for me. Now I get to experiment with it. Everything I’ve read says cook it in your microwave – on the cob – in a bag. Same idea as microwave popcorn, but just on the cob and without the icky stuff I imagine impregnates those microwave popcorn bags. I remember hearing from some CSA members last year that popping the corn in a paper bag worked just fine.

I know there are some folks who have concerns over what’s in our paper bags these days – especially those made of recycled content. Bits of metal? Tiny pieces of plastic?

It’s actually my intention to try the popcorn in my Whirley Pop popcorn popper – the lightweight metal pan with a lid that folds back and a crank to turn a small metal arm that keeps the popcorn from hanging out too long on the bottom of the pan. I’ll probably have to break the cobs in half, but that seems easy enough to do.

Let us know how your popcorn turns out.

I’m so glad to see the popcorn because I’ve been saving this recipe just for its appearance. The aforementioned Ms. Killingsworth is a true fan of bacon. She might be willing to pop a little Riverview popcorn to make this recipe.

***

This recipe comes from Denver restaurant Colt & Gray. Who can resist salty-sweet caramel corn studded with cashews and bits of bacon? The method of popping corn here would work fine with the whole cobs. Oolong is a lovely chef-y addition to the recipe, adding its bit of smoky flavor to the mix. Bacon and Cashew Caramel Corn balls for Halloween anyone?

Makes about 15 cups