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.
Ingredients:
1/2 cup unpopped popcorn 1 1/4 cups packed light brown sugar 1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter 1/4 cup corn syrup 1 teaspoon salt 1 teaspoon baking soda 3/4 cup roasted skinned peanuts
Preparation:
Line a rimmed baking sheet with parchment or waxed paper. Set aside. Lightly spray a large bowl and long-handled spoon with cooking spray and set aside.
Using an air popper or other method, pop popcorn using no oil. Put popcorn in prepared bowl.
In a large saucepan over high heat, combine brown sugar, butter and corn syrup. Bring mixture to a boil. Heat until mixture becomes thicker and begins to change color to a medium brown, about 12 minutes. You can test the color by putting a few drops on a piece of parchment paper.
Remove mixture from heat and add salt and baking soda. Stir with a long-handled spoon. Mixture will foam up. Pour mixture over popcorn in bowl, quickly pour in peanuts and use prepared spoon to stir everything together, evenly coating the popcorn and peanuts with the caramel.
Quickly pour the coated mixture onto the prepared baking sheet and spread as evenly as possible. Cool completely before breaking into serving-size pieces. Can be stored in an airtight container for up to 3 days.
Per 1/4-cup serving: 85 calories (percent of calories from fat, 50), 1 gram protein, 9 grams carbohydrates, trace fiber, 5 grams fat (2 grams saturated), 8 milligrams cholesterol, 140 milligrams sodium.