Caramel Popcorn Twists

 

  

One thing which we always loved making at Christmas was Caramel Corn and Poppykock. My sister makes the best Poppykock and Caramel Corn. She always sent my father a bag every year.

I have always enjoyed it also, however I don't enjoy the husks and kernels of the popcorn.  Especially now that my teeth are getting older.

When my children were growing up we had a hot air corn popper. Popcorn was on the menu for evening television viewing quite often, especially at the weekend. I do love popcorn myself.

But again, my older teeth and my diverticulitis do not enjoy and are not compatible with the husbs, hulls and unpopped kernels. 

 

 

One way of getting around that are these popcorn twists. Mais Elclate.  This snack is one thing I always missed when I was in the UK.  Its all the joy of popcorn without any of the angst.

There is not a husk or a hull or a kernel in sight. Just delicious popcorn flavour and fluff that melts in your mouth.

 

  

 

I picked up a bag at the WalMart the other day for nostalgia's sake and noticed that there was a recipe for caramel corn on the back of the bag.  Caramel corn using popcorn twists! Count me in!

 

I had to try it. I could not resist.  It doesn't use a lot of fancy ingredients either. Just the twists, butter, corn syrup and brown sugar.  And a bit of baking soda.

 

Its very easy to make as well. You just have to dump the twists into a nice deep roaster. I sprayed it first with some canola oil spray so that it wouldn't stick.

It was really hard not to be tempted to eat some of the twists, but I was a good girl. I resisted temptation.

 

 

 You need to create a nice caramel syrup first.  This is very simple to do.  You melt some butter, brown sugar and corn syrup together in a saucepan.

You can stir it as it is melting.  That is perfectly acceptable.  Its after the sugar has melted and it starts to rumble/boil that you need to stop stirring it  You run the risk of the sugar syrup forming crystals if you stir it after that.

 

You let it boil for two minutes without stirring and then you add some magic.  A teaspoon of baking soda.

Make sure you have melted/boiled the syrup in a large saucepan. When you add the baking soda it will foam up and double in size!  Trust me on this. Once its foamed up, just let it sit and settle down for a minute or so and then pour it over the popcorn twists in the roasting pan.

   

Give it all a good stir to coat the popcorn twists.  That is it. Now you just bake it in a slow oven.You need to give it a good stir every ten minutes or so. 

 

I cooked it for fifteen minutes, stirred it, and then cooked it for a further 30 minutes stirring it every ten minutes.  At the end of that time you pour it onto a sheet of wax or parchment paper and let it cool until you can safely handle it.

 

Once it is cool enough to handle, you can break it into pieces.  I have to say, this is very, very, VERY good! 

It is incredibly moreish in fact. My father is really going to love this stuff. I have frozen it in a double bag, but I kept out a small bag for him to enjoy this week.

 

Although he is a diabetic he is pretty good at policing himself.  He doesn't like it when he gets neuropathy in his feet. 

 

It keeps him awake at night if his feet are bothering him, so he will not scarf the whole bag down in one go. He will probably savour it all week. 

I can totally empathise with him. I hate it if my feet burn and tingle as well. Occasionally I can tell if I have overdone things as I will get neuropathy as well. Not a nice feeling.

 

We have had a really busy day today.  We did something that I never do, and that is to go to the shops on the last Saturday before Christmas.  The shops are always crazy crazy crazy.

We went only to WalMart and to Sobeys.  It was a getting a bit nuts by the time we were done. Not a lot of room for social distancing and stuff, and I did see a few people without masks.  Crazy.

 

I hate it when people don't follow the rules. I am a real rule follower myself. If the marks on the floor say to go in on direction and stay six feet apart, I do.  I wear my mask and wash and sanititize my hands.

I want this to be over soon as soon as soon.  That won't happen if we are all disobedient.  This is not a cold, this virus.  This is a killer and I can't believe that some people are so ignorant as to think it is anything else.

 

Governments would not ruin their economies over a hoax.  It just would not happen.  People don't die by the thousands if this is a hoax.  I fear our lives will never ever be quite the same again. I think this is going to be with us for a very long time.

But if we do as we are asked, and have the vaccine, then perhaps we can learn to live with it and the deaths will stop. Please, please everyone, just do as we are asked. Its only one Christmas. One Christmas sacrificed so that we can all enjoy many more in the future.

 

Is it worth killing people who are extremely vulnerable just so you can drink and party with your friends???  I think not.

Anyways, off my soap box now.  Just be kind to others.  The best kindness/gift you can do/give this year is to follow the advice of the WHO.  Please.

 

Back to the caramel corn. This is utterly and positively addictive.  Sweet and crisp. Light as air. Puffed and crunchy.

I can only think about how good it might be if you added some salted nuts when you are baking it.  Maybe a cup or two of mixed salted nuts, or even just peanuts and pecans.

 

Oh my, but that would be some tasty.  I am sorry if you are in the UK you won't be able to make this unless you are really inventive and figure out something that you can use instead of the popcorn twists.  

I actually think it would work well with Quavers or NikNaks, except that Quavers are cheese flavoured.  But any kind of popped and puffy corn snack would work well I think.

In any case, I hope you will be tempted to try to make this.  Its really deliciously addictively moreish!!

Old Dutch Caramel Corn

Yield: Makes about 6 cups

Author: Marie Rayner

prep time: 10 Mincook time: 45 Mintotal time: 55 Min

A new recipe for a huskless caramel corn that I got off a bag of Old Dutch Popcorn Twists. Quick, easy and really delicious!No hulls, no hard kernels and melts in the mouth

Ingredients

• 6 to 8 cups (175g bag) of popcorn twists
• 1/2 pound (227g) butter (Don't use margarine)
• 1 cup (200g) soft light brown sugar, packed
• 1/2 cup (120ml) light corn syrup
• 1 tsp baking soda

Instructions

1. Preheat the oven to 250*F/120*C/ gas mark 2.
2. Place the contents of the bag of popcorn twists into a large roaster pan.
3. Place the butter, sugar and corn syrup into a large saucepan (at least 2 litres/2 quarts). Allow the butter to melt, stirring everything together, and then bring to a low boil.  Boil for two minutes without stirring.  Add the baking soda.  The mixture will foam up and double in size.
4. Allow to sit for a minute and then pour it over the popcorn twists, stirring everything together to coat the popcorn.
5. Roast in the preheated oven for 45 minutes, stirring every ten minutes.
6. Remove from the oven, pour onto a sheet of waxed paper and allow to cool.  Break apart and enjoy.
7. Store in an airtight bag or container.

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