ISO Recipes: Candied Popcorn and spiced nuts

[rburganmckinley]

I'm looking for a recipe for a carmel corn like popcorn, but maybe other flavors (like what those upscale popcorn stores sell). Does anyone do anything like this? Also looking for tried and true spiced nuts recipes...

TIA!

[foodfly]

I made Emeril's Homemade Cracker Jacks (http://www.emerils.com/recipes/by_name/homemade_cracker_jacks.html) exactly as written. It is a OMG repeater here.

Also note that this recipe may be more for adult palates since the nuts are spiced. There is a slight bit of heat. The spiciness of the nuts perfectly contrast the sweetness of the caramel corn. It was quite addictive.

Before this recipe I never thought to make my own since you can buy the ready-made in the box (with the prize!); but this recipe made me a believer. Maybe because you can actually find the nuts (the best part) when you make it homemade.

Haven't played with the recipe yet, but I think you could also successfully vary the type of nuts to include your own favorites.

[rburganmckinley]

Foodfly, where did you find the Cane Syrup? I think I've seen the Emeril's Essence in my grocery store. But I've never noticed cane syrup.

[zackaboo]

I have a great recipe for gingerbread popcorn. If you are interested, let me know and I will be happy to post.

[foodfly]

The cane syrup was a challenge.....never found it at the grocery stores, Cost Plus, nor TJs. Happened upon it at a local tourist attraction featuring candies/nuts that stocked it in quantity. Had a thread on my attempts to find it here (http://community.cookinglight.com/showthread.php?t=81482&highlight=cane+syrup), if you are interested.

I'm glad I persisted in locating the cane syrup. The recipe was well worth the effort.

The Essence is definitely at the grocer's in the spice section. It's a common item, but one I had never used before either. I also saw it at Cost Plus.

I just remembered I was told the Cane Syrup might be at Smart & Final, but I never checked it out.

[2HUNGRY!]

The December issue a few years back had a great caramel popcorn recipe (no nutes but don't see why you couldn't add them). I can't remember which year except it was the same year that Anna's Almond Roca was all the rage. Maybe 2002? Anyway, I really liked that recipe.

[rburganmckinley]

I have a great recipe for gingerbread popcorn. If you are interested, let me know and I will be happy to post.


I'd love to have the recipe! Please post it when you have a chance.

Thanks!

[rburganmckinley]

The December issue a few years back had a great caramel popcorn recipe (no nutes but don't see why you couldn't add them). I can't remember which year except it was the same year that Anna's Almond Roca was all the rage. Maybe 2002? Anyway, I really liked that recipe.


I didn't even think about checking the CL annuals. I'll have to do some searching when I get home...

[foodfly]

I didn't even think about checking the CL annuals. I'll have to do some searching when I get home...


There's a "Caramel Popcorn" recipe on the CL website (actually 2). There's one from 2002 with 5 *'s which may be the one you are looking for.

[dorothyntototoo]

I am going to make this for Christmas, but haven't tried it yet.

CRANBERRY POPCORN
Makes 12 cups

4 tablespoons (1/2 stick) unsalted butter
1 cup granulated sugar
1/4 cup light corn syrup
6 ounces frozen cranberry juice concentrate, thawed
12 cups popped popcorn
1 cup dried cranberries

Preheat oven to 325 degrees. In a small saucepan, melt butter over low heat. Stir in sugar, corn syrup and cranberry juice concentrate. Bring to a boil, stirring constantly. Lower heat and simmer until mixture reaches 240 degrees on a candy thermometer. Place popcorn and dried cranberries in a large bowl. Pour syrup over popcorn and stir until well coated.

Spread popcorn evenly in a large roasting pan. Bake for about 5 minutes, stirring once or twice, until mixture just begins to lose red color. Remove from oven and let cool to room temperature, about 15 minutes. Store in an airtight container for up to 1 week. Recrisp in a preheated 350-degree oven for a few minutes, if necessary.

[Beth]

I have a great recipe for gingerbread popcorn. If you are interested, let me know and I will be happy to post.

Interested! :)

[Missi]

Just bumping for zackaboo! I, too, would love the gingerbread popcorn recipe! :D :D

[zackaboo]

Okay everyone...here you are! :) This is great stuff but it is very sweet so next time I make it I think I might reduce the brown sugar a bit. Just a note in the catgory of "stupid kitchen mistakes", don't forget to get as many of the unpopped seeds out of the popcorn as possible before mixing together. I forgot last time I made this and almost cracked a tooth... :p


* Exported from MasterCook *

Gingerbread Popcorn

Recipe By :
Serving Size : 15 Preparation Time :0:00
Categories : Snacks

Amount Measure Ingredient -- Preparation Method
-------- ------------ --------------------------------
15 cups popped popcorn
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 cup butter
2 cups brown sugar -- packed
1/4 cup corn syrup
1/4 cup molasses
1 Tablespoon ground ginger
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon baking soda

Divide popcorn equally between two lightly greased 13x9 inch baking sheets; set aside. Combine salt, butter, brown sugar, corn syrup, molasses, ginger and cinnamon in a large, heavy saucepan. Heat over medium heat until mixture boils. Boil for 5 minutes; stirring frequently. Remove from heat and add baking soda. Pour over popcorn; toss to coat.

Bake at 250 degrees for one hour, stirring every 15 minutes until pocorn is crisp. Cool completely; store in airtight containers.

Source:
"Taste of Autumn"

[zackaboo]

By the way Dorothy, I think that cranberry popcorn looks great! I love all things cranberry.

[Beth]

Thanks for posting the gingerbread popcorn. I am looking for new teacher gift ideas. I shy away from food gifts, but I might make an exception this year.

On the cranberry one -- Target had a coated popcorn with dried cranberries as well as almonds and pecans. It was a good combination.

In general, I usually use more popcorn than called for so that the syrup is stretched over more stuff and it isn't wquite as sweet. That seems like a safer way to alter the balance than to delete sugar and maybe not have the syrup cook properly. You are relying on a chemical reaction there to make the sugars and water to combine and get brittle, so changing the balance could wind up with goo.

[rburganmckinley]

Both of those recipes look GREAT! I'll have to give them a try.

I did find the caramel corn recipe last night too. I may have to try that one too. :rolleyes:

Thanks!!!!!!

[Beth]

Anyone else thinking gingerbread popcorn with dried cranberries? :)

I seem to be in this cannot follow a recipe mode -- night before last I finally mad a dessert for a meeting that I wound up not being able to go to (sent the dessert with a friend). I couldn't decide what to make (as some of you heard) and I wound up making up a cranberry brownie tiramisu -- or is that cran-brownie tiramisu? ;) I like to play with food. :D

[Terri_A]

This is my mother's recipe for candied popcorn - it's DELICIOUS and it's not Christmas to me without it! Let me mention that I recommend doing the stated size batches - something odd happens when you double or triple it and it's just not the same.

Candied Popcorn

8 cups popcorn ( air popped is best )
2 cups rice krispies
1 can peanuts
1 pound almond bark (white)
2 tablespoons peanut butter
pretzels ( optional )
M&Ms ( optional )

1. Melt the almond bark in the microwave for 1 minute, stir, then 30 seconds at a time until completely melted, stirring as you go.

2. Add 2 tablespoons of peanut butter to the almond bark and stir well.

3. Mix the popcorn and other dry ingredients in a large bowl and then pour the almond bark mix on the popcorn, mixing the coating evenly among the popcorn.

4. Spread the popcorn out on waxed paper to dry. Break up the popcorn and seal in airtight containers.

[zackaboo]

Thanks for posting the gingerbread popcorn. I am looking for new teacher gift ideas. I shy away from food gifts, but I might make an exception this year.

On the cranberry one -- Target had a coated popcorn with dried cranberries as well as almonds and pecans. It was a good combination.

In general, I usually use more popcorn than called for so that the syrup is stretched over more stuff and it isn't wquite as sweet. That seems like a safer way to alter the balance than to delete sugar and maybe not have the syrup cook properly. You are relying on a chemical reaction there to make the sugars and water to combine and get brittle, so changing the balance could wind up with goo.

Good point and exactly why I haven't actaully made any changes before. I do like the idea of adding dried cranberries as well. Thanks!

[dgeevanson]

This is my mother's recipe for candied popcorn - it's DELICIOUS and it's not Christmas to me without it! Let me mention that I recommend doing the stated size batches - something odd happens when you double or triple it and it's just not the same.

Candied Popcorn

8 cups popcorn ( air popped is best )
2 cups rice krispies
1 can peanuts
1 pound almond bark (white)
2 tablespoons peanut butter
pretzels ( optional )
M&Ms ( optional )

1. Melt the almond bark in the microwave for 1 minute, stir, then 30 seconds at a time until completely melted, stirring as you go.

2. Add 2 tablespoons of peanut butter to the almond bark and stir well.

3. Mix the popcorn and other dry ingredients in a large bowl and then pour the almond bark mix on the popcorn, mixing the coating evenly among the popcorn.

4. Spread the popcorn out on waxed paper to dry. Break up the popcorn and seal in airtight containers.



Thanks for posting! That sounds wonderful. Hope to try it in the next week or two. Darla

[Hoodone]

Here's a good spiced nut recipe. Simple, but addictive.

Santa Fe Almonds

2 cups blanched almond slices (the long squarish ones, not the thin sheets)
2 1/2 tablespoons of oil
1/2 cup sugar
1 teaspoon salt
1 1/2 teaspoons cumin
1 teaspoon (or less according to taste) cayenne pepper
1 Tablespoon sugar

Combine salt, cumin, cayenne and 1 tablespoon sugar in a small bowl and reserve. Have a jelly roll pan (or a cookie sheet) ready for later. Heat oil in a skillet until hot. Add nuts and sugar. Stirring constantly over medium heat, cook mixture until sugar carmelizes and nuts turn a nice golden color. This will take about 5-10 minutes. Remove skillet from heat. Add reserved spice mixture and stir until nuts are well coated. Turn nuts out onto jelly roll pan and stir while they are cooling to keep nuts separate.

[rburganmckinley]

OMG!!!! I just made some of that gingerbread popcorn. It is to DIE for! It is SOOOOOOOOOO Good! The coating is a SUPER gingerbread tasting caramel. I couldn't stop eating the "leftovers" from the pan. I finally had to put some water in it so I'd stop eating it. I like gingerbread, but this caramel is on a whole different level. It would be great made up as a topping too for ice cream or drizzled over pumpkin or apple pie too. This batch is going out in care packages, but I think I may have to make another, for me! I plan on adding cranberries, but I'm waiting until it's out of the oven since it has to bake for an hour (yep, it isn't even out of the oven yet and I already love it, picked a few pieces before it went in......)

:D :D :D :D :D :D :D

[spudugan]

I was reading the Christmas Food Gifts thread Thursday night and about Candy Corn Snack mixes... i got a serious hankering for trying a recipe for a snack that i could gift and make alterations for various holidays. I made the CL Popcorn Brittle (i've made the CL Caramel Popcorn and love that too). It's really fun/easy to make and so very good! I got excited about bagging some up in plastic bags to hand out on sales calls for fun...so i quickly made a second batch (added some cinnamon on the 2nd go). In the morning I broke the brittle up into bite size pieces and added some Halloween Reese's balls to each bag--tied the tops with a twist of orange pipe cleaner. For myself i will opt to keep added candy out...but for Holidays adding some different candies makes it festive and yet gives the "giftee" the choice to eat the extras or not :)


Popcorn Brittle
While replacing the nuts in brittle with popcorn certainly removes a lot of fat, it also results in a wonderful hybrid--part caramel corn, part brittle. The brittle is crunchy and sweet, with just a hint of saltiness. About 1/4 cup kernels yields the correct amount of popcorn.

Cooking spray
5 1/2 cups popcorn, popped without salt or fat
1 1/2 cups sugar
6 tablespoons light corn syrup
1/4 cup water
3 tablespoons molasses
1 tablespoon butter
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/4 teaspoon salt

Line a baking sheet with foil; coat foil with cooking spray. Set aside.
Place popcorn in a large zip-top plastic bag; seal. Crush popcorn using a meat mallet or rolling pin; set aside.

Combine sugar, syrup, and water in a medium saucepan over medium heat. Cook 1 minute or until sugar dissolves, stirring constantly. Cook, without stirring, until candy thermometer registers 270° (about 8 minutes). Stir in molasses and butter; cook until thermometer registers 290° (about 5 minutes). Stir in baking soda, vanilla, and salt. Stir popcorn into boiling syrup mixture. Working quickly, pour popcorn mixture onto prepared pan; spread to 1/4-inch thickness using a wooden spoon coated with cooking spray. Cool completely; break into large pieces.

Note: Store brittle in an airtight container at room temperature for up to four days.

Yield: 12 servings (serving size: about 1 1/2 ounces)

NUTRITION PER SERVING
CALORIES 165(6% from fat); FAT 1.1g (sat 0.5g,mono 0.4g,poly 0.1g); PROTEIN 0.5g; CHOLESTEROL 3mg; CALCIUM 12mg; SODIUM 123mg; FIBER 0.6g; IRON 0.4mg; CARBOHYDRATE 39.9g

Mark Scarbrough
Cooking Light, NOVEMBER 2005

[drewberry4]

This is my mom's super-famous recipe. She makes like a thousand batches of them every Christmas at the request of pretty much everyone she knows.

Diann's Sugar and Spice Pecans
3 cups unsalted pecans
1 egg white
1 Tbsp orange juice or water
2/3 cup sugar
1 Tbsp grated orange rind (optional)
1 tsp ground cinnamon
1/2 tsp ground ginger
1/2 tsp ground allspice
1/4 tsp salt

Heat oven to 275°. In a large bowl, place nuts; set aside. In a small bowl, beat egg white and orange juice or water until frothy. Add sugar, optional orange rind, spices and salt; mix well. Pour over nuts, stirring to coat well.

On a greased jelly roll pan or a large shallow roasting pan, spread nuts so they do not touch. Bake, stirring every 15 minutes, until light brown and crisp, 45-55 minutes. Cool. Store in an airtight container in a cool place up to one month.

Yield: 5 cups

[spudugan]

Gosh,,,do those sound good. The orange /cinnamon/ ginger combo has got to be delicious...couple of those sprinkled on yogurt or frozen yougurt,,or on top of a cheesecake....well..just about anyway right? :rolleyes: Thanks for sharing.

[layla14]

Wow thar gingerbread popcorn sounds AWESOME!! I wonder how long it would keep if I was to make it for a gift. Any thoughts?

Also I use to have a recipe for candied pecans. But I can't find it down. It was a mixture using egg whites and sugar (I can't remember if there was anything else). Then you tossed it with the pecans and baked them. If I remember right you stir it at least once while baking. Anyone have a similar recipe.

Thanks!

Maura

[spudugan]

Here's a sweet spice combo layla14:

Autumn Spiced Nuts with Pumpkin Pie Spice

1 egg white (beaten)
1 tsp water
4 cup mixed nuts
1 cup sugar
1 Tbs pumpkin pie spice
4 tsp ground cinnamon
2 tsp ground ginger
1 tsp ground cloves
1/2 tsp grated nutmeg

Combine egg and water, add nuts and toss. Combine sugar and spices. Toss with nuts. Put on a single layer greased baking sheet. Bake at 300 degrees for 20 to 25 minutes. Cool on waxed paper and break into clumps.

Or is you're looking for a savory one:
Spiced Nuts
When the egg white has been properly beaten, no clear liquid will remain on the bottom of the bowl.


1 large egg white
1/4 cup sugar
1 tsp salt
1/2 tsp chili powder
1/4 tsp ground allspice
1/2 tsp ground cumin
1 3/4 tsp cayenne pepper
2 1/2 cups pecan halves or assorted nuts, such as cashews, walnuts, or almonds



1 Preheat oven to 300°. Beat egg white until soft and foamy. Combine all remaining ingredients except pecans; whisk into egg white. Stir in pecans until well coated; spread mixture in single layer onto an ungreased baking pan.
2 Bake pecans for 15 minutes, then remove from oven. Using a metal spatula, toss, stir, and separate nuts. Reduce oven to 250°, and return nuts to bake until medium brown, about 10 minutes. Remove from oven; toss, and stir again. Place baking pan on wire rack to cool (they will crisp as they cool). Break up any that stick together; store in an airtight container, at room temperature, up to 2 weeks.


Yield: 2 1/2 cups

[layla14]

Thanks spudugan! Those look great! I think those were like the recipe I had, but mine didn't have the added spices. I like the idea of the spices! I think I will give those a try!

Thanks!!!!

maura

[ADM]

Chocolate Popcorn -

12 c popcorn -- popped
1 c unsalted peanuts
1 c sugar
2/3 c corn syrup
2 TB butter
6 oz semisweet chocolate
1 ts vanilla extract

Preheat oven to 250 degrees. Spray a large, shallow roasting pan with vegetable spray. Mix popcorn and peanuts in roasting pan. In a heavy 2 quart saucepan, cook corn syrup, sugar and margarine over medium heat, until the mixture boils, stirring constantly. Stir in chocolate and continue to cook for 5 minutes or until the chocolate is completely melted and the mixture has thickened. Remove from heat and stir in vanilla. Pour over popcorn and peanuts; stir to coat well. Bake for 1 hour, stirring occasionally. Pour onto foil and let cool. Store in tightly covered containers. Yield: 12 Servings

http://www.astray.com/recipes/?show=Chocolate%20popcorn
----------------------------------------------------------------
Pina Colada Popcorn -

8 c Popped popcorn (about 1/3 to 1/2 unpopped)
2 tb Butter or margarine
1/3 c Light corn syrup
¼ c Instant coconut cream pudding mix
¾ ts Rum extract
½ c Diced dried pineapple or candied pineapple
½ c Coconut, toasted

To toast coconut, spread coconut in a thin layer on a shallow baking pan. Bake in a 250 degree oven for 6 to 7 minutes or till light brown, stirring often. Remove all unpopped kernels from popcorn. Place popped popcorn in a buttered 17x12x2-inch baking pan. Keep the popcorn warm in a 300 degree oven while making the coating. In a small saucepan melt the butter or margarine. Remove saucepan from heat. Stir in the corn syrup, pudding mix, and rum extract. Remove popcorn from oven. Pour the syrup mixture over the popcorn. With a large spoon, gently toss the popcorn with the syrup to coat. Bake popcorn, uncovered, in a 300 degree oven for 15 minutes. Remove popcorn from oven and stir in the dried pineapple and the coconut. Bake the popcorn mixture, uncovered, 5 minutes more. Turn the mixture onto a large piece of foil. Cool the mixture completely. Serve popcorn immediately or store, tightly covered, in a cool, dry place. Makes about 16 (1/2 cup) servings.

Nutrition information per 1/2 cup serving: 73 cal., 3 g fat, 4 mg chol., 1g pro., 12 g carbo., 0g fiber, and 40 mg sodium.

http://www.astray.com/recipes/?show=Pina%20colada%20popcorn

[zackaboo]

Wow thar gingerbread popcorn sounds AWESOME!! I wonder how long it would keep if I was to make it for a gift. Any thoughts?

Maura

Maura,

I haven't yet made my annual batch of this popcorn so I can't precisely answer your question other than by memory. I don't think we have ever had much in the way of leftovers when I have made this before, but I do seem to recall that it does get stale after a few days. Sorry I can't be more specific...maybe I need to make some just to help you out ;) .

[HealthyinMN]

Wow thar gingerbread popcorn sounds AWESOME!! I wonder how long it would keep if I was to make it for a gift. Any thoughts?

Also I use to have a recipe for candied pecans. But I can't find it down. It was a mixture using egg whites and sugar (I can't remember if there was anything else). Then you tossed it with the pecans and baked them. If I remember right you stir it at least once while baking. Anyone have a similar recipe.

Thanks!

Maura

I made quite a few batches of this during last years Christmas baking event (http://desertculinary.blogspot.com/2005/12/all-wrapped-up-and-ready-to-go.html) and sent several packages out. They were all well received!

[jabelt]

Terri_A,

I made your Candied Popcorn last night and it is dangerous stuff. I can't keep my hands out of it. I was up with my newborn at 4 this morning and eating it! Must. have. restraint.

Thank you so much!

Julie

[cama_cook]

What a timely thread! The other day I went to the grocery store and saw a package of chocolate drizzled caramel popcorn. Being that I was starving and craving anything I saw, I ended up buying a bag. I wasn't sure about the chocolate/popcorn combo but it turned out to be super tasty! It was basically a caramel popcorn with one "side" of the popcorn with some chocolate on it. The chocolate flavor wasn't overwhelming. It wasn't exactly drizzed on top - it looked more like it was sitting in a pan where the bottom was coated with chocolate, allowed to set, and then broken up into indiviual popcorn pieces and packaged. Does that make any sense?

I was thinking it would be cool to try to replicate at home. Does anyone have a recipe for something like this or have any ideas on how I might be able to have just a tiny bit of chocolate on each piece of popcorn (rather than making chocolate popcorn like the recipe posted in this thread by ADM)?

[Apricot]

The following recipes are all from this board but unfortunately, I don't have the names of the original posters. I have made the Union Square and Honey Rosemary nuts and they were both great! The Union Square Cafe Nuts got TONS of positive reviews here.

From Martha Stewart Hors D'Oeuveres cookbook:

Honey Roasted Almonds
1 cup honey
2 tsp Chinese five-spice powder
5 cups whole alomonds, skins on

1. Heat the oven to 350 F. Line 2 rimmed baking sheets with parchment paper and hold the parchment sheets to the side until step 2. Warm the honey in a medium saucepan over medium heat until it becomes thin and esy to pour. Sitr in the five-spice powder and the almonds.

2. Spread the mixture in a single layer onto the baking sheets. Bake, rotating the pans halfway through cooking, until the nut mixture has darkened in color, 45 to 55 minutes. Immediately spread the almonds in a single layer on parchment paper. Set aside to cool. The almonds may be kept in an airtight container at room temperature for 1 week.


Union Square Café Bar Nuts

1 1/4 pounds assorted unsalted nuts -- such as peanuts, cashews, Brazil nuts, hazelnuts, walnuts, pecans, and natural almonds
1/2 teaspoon cayenne
2 tablespoons coarsely chopped fresh rosemary leaves
2 teaspoons packed dark brown sugar
2 teaspoons coarse salt
1 teaspoon unsalted butter – melted (3 T)

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. On a baking sheet spread nuts and toast in middle of oven until golden, about 10 minutes. While nuts are toasting, in a large bowl toss together all remaining ingredients. Toss nuts with rosemary mixture and serve warm. Makes about 4 cups.

Description:
"won the New York Press award for the "best bar nuts" in New York"
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -


Honey-Rosemary Glazed Nuts

2 cups almonds
2 cups walnuts
2 cups natural unsalted cashews (I could only find salted and it turned out fine)
2 cups dry-roasted macadamia nuts
1/4 cup packed dark brown sugar (I only had light brown)
1/4 cup honey
2 tablespoons canola oil
2 tablespoons water
2 tablespoons chopped fresh rosemary
2 teaspoons Maldon sea salt or coarse kosher salt
1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper

Makes about 8 cups

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Spray 2 large rimmed baking sheets (I got away with only 1 sheet) with nonstick spray. Place all nuts in a large bowl. Mix brown sugar and remaining ingredients in a small saucepan. Stir over medium heat until sugar dissolves and syrup is smooth. Pour over nuts; toss to coat.

Divide nut mixture between prepared sheets. Bake until deep golden and thickly glazed, stirring occasionally, about 20 mins. Cool nuts on sheets, occasionally loosening and separating nuts with spatula. (mine really stuck to the pan but came out with some muscle ) This can be made 5 days ahead. Store airtight at room temperature. Break nuts apart, if necessary before serving.


Source:
"Bon Appetite November 2005"