In an Irish Home

If your New Year’s resolution is to “get healthy” or “lose weight” in 2018…read no further. Seriously, if you do, you’re either going to hate me or love me for posting this Salted Caramel Popcorn recipe.

In our Irish home we call it…”crack-popcorn”. I kid you not: it…is…that…good. Full credit for this Master Recipe goes to Shelly Jaronsky over at CookiesandCups.com. She first posted it on 4 September 2013 and then it went into her 2016 cookbook, The Cookies & Cups Cookbook. I, thankfully, stumbled across the recipe on Pinterest a few years ago, was intrigued, and then got hooked. Thank you and damn you, Shelly! ♥

Yesterday, I whipped up a double batch for neighbours and friends whom I didn’t visit before Christmas day. The jars came from TK Maxx {it’s the same as TJ Maxx} and were a steal at only €5 each.

Unlike other salted caramel popcorn recipes out there, this one is a doddle to make. As per Shelly’s directions, you pop some popcorn, boil up a quick batch of caramel using only three ingredients, mix it all together, and pop it into the oven for 30 minutes. Bada bing, bada boom and you’re done. You’re gonna love it!

~ XoK

Salted Caramel Popcorn

Makes 16 cups

Ingredients

4.5oz/126g/½ cup unpopped popcorn

8oz/228g/1 cup butter

7.5oz/212g/1 cup brown sugar

3oz/1/3 cup golden syrup or corn syrup

1/2-2 teaspoons kosher or sea salt, divided*

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 150ºC/300°F.

2. Line a large baking sheet with parchment paper or a silicone mat. Set aside.

3. Pop popcorn kernels using air popper into a large bowl.

4. In a small saucepan melt butter, brown sugar, corn syrup and 1 teaspoon salt* together over medium heat. Bring to boil. Boil for 4 minutes without stirring.

5. Pour caramel mixture over popcorn and stir to coat evenly.

6. Pour popcorn into lined pan, sprinkle remaining salt on top (1/2 tsp – 1 tsp depending on your personal taste preference*) and place in oven. Bake for 30 minutes, stirring every 10 minutes.

7. Allow popcorn to cool on a parchment lined counter.

Additional Notes, Related Articles & Credit:

* Because I use salted butter, I opt out of adding salt to this recipe.

** To get rid of those pesky unpopped kernels, before making the caramel, pour the popcorn into a large bowl and toss it thoroughly with your hands a few times…this way the unpopped kernels will fall to the bottom of the bowl. Then, remove the popped popcorn to another bowl and, voila, the unpeopled kernels are visible for easy removal.

*** If kept in a well sealed container, this popcorn will last for weeks.

**** I adore Master Recipes…you know…the ones that are rare and wonderful, that you wouldn’t dream of changing a single thing about them, and you make them over and over again. Here are a few of my favourite Irish master recipes: Chocolate Whiskey Cake, Irish Mashed Potatoes, and The Art of Making & Serving Tea.