You'll Never Buy Caramel Corn Again.

[elleng]

'Maple syrup and baking soda make for the lightest, crispiest caramelized popcorn.

Can a person have too many popcorn epiphanies?

I had my first last year, when the Los Angeles chef Jessica Koslow taught me that using more oil than corn kernels yielded the best-textured, crunchiest popcorn.

But my latest revelation came a few months ago, when I sampled a caramel popcorn superior — lighter, crisper, more caramelized — to any I’d had before. It made me completely rethink my tepid appreciation of the stuff.

Maybe it was because I didn’t grow up eating Cracker Jack at baseball games or making popcorn balls, but, to me, caramel corn was the kind of thing best left to stick in other people’s teeth. I’d eat it if it was the only sweet thing around, but not enthusiastically.

Not so this batch. It had a delicate, candy-like crunch, the thinnest layer of toffee covering the crevices and contours of each fluffy kernel. Then, as you bit down, the coating shattered, and the popcorn dissolved. It wasn’t soggy or chewy or gummy. It was perfect.

The secret, I learned, was adding a bit of baking soda to the caramel. The baking soda reacts with the acid in the recipe (i.e., brown sugar) to create an airier, more brittle texture that’s not as sticky as the recipes without it. The charms of caramel corn finally made sense.'>>>

https://www.nytimes.com/2019/12/06/dining/caramel-corn-recipe.html?

[Grasswire2]

1. this writer is just learning this?

Every recipe I've seen for home made caramel corn uses a bit of baking soda.

[Major Nikon]

2. I thought all recipes called for adding baking soda

The baking soda is usually used in conjunction with some kid of acidic ingredient like maple syrup or the molasses found in brown sugar. It creates bubbles which allow the mixture to more evenly coat and keeps the sugars from crystallizing rock hard.

[PatrickforO]

3. Awesome! My wife LOVES caramel corn.

I may surprise her!

Thank you.

[Clash City Rocker]

4. Unless you're in Chicago

Then you just get Garrett and save the effort.

[Callalily]

5. I LOVE carmel corn.

Used to make it in the microwave. And yes, baking soda was part of the recipe.

i just have to make a batch for old times sake.

[Blue_true]

7. How do you make it in a microwave?

Do you use a big bowl? Is stuff covered? Does it leave a mess?

[Callalily]

8. Microwave Caramel Popcorn

4 quarts popped popcorn
1 cup brown sugar
1/2 cup margarine
1/4 cup light corn syrup
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/2 teaspoon baking soda

Prep 5 minutes
Cook 10 minutes
Ready In 15 minutes

Place the popped popcorn into a large brown paper bag. Set aside.

In a 2 quart casserole dish, or other heat-proof glass dish, combine the brown sugar, margarine, corn syrup, salt and vanilla. Heat for 3 minutes in the microwave, then take out and stir until well blended. Return to the microwave, and cook for 1 1/2 minutes. Remove from microwave, and stir in the baking soda.

Pour syrup over the popcorn in the bag. Roll down the top once or twice to close the bag, and shake to coat the corn. Place bag into the microwave, and cook for 1 minute and 10 seconds. Remove, shake, flip the bag over, and return it to the microwave. Cook for another 1 minute and 10 seconds. Dump the popcorn out onto waxed paper, and let cool until coating is set. Store in an airtight container.

Note: You know your microwave so you may have to make adjustments to the time

[Blue_true]

9. Thanks. nt

[ProfessorPlum]

6. I make a big tub of caramel corn every year

it gets eaten quickly, as if the people in the house like it