Toffee Caramel Popcorn

We love fresh popped popcorn in our house. In the past, we had an air popper but it was so bland that we started popping corn on the stove in a small saucepan but the yield was always so meager. So, for Christmas, I bought a Whirly Pop using a several-years-old Williams Sonoma gift card that I'd gotten as a rebate for my ice cream maker.

My favorite savory seasonings for popcorn are Trader Joe's mushroom powder, Trader Joe's onion powder, piri piri spice from Portugal, and MSG and it hits the spot. But, recently, I've also been into a sweet version, which is what I'm sharing today. It's a bit of a time sensitive assembly but worth the hustle and struggle.

Ingredients:
¼ cup popcorn kernels
2 tablespoons olive oil
¼ cup butter
½ cup brown sugar
½ teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon baking soda

Start by popping some corn and then spread it onto a lined sheet pan; parchment or a silicon mat are preferable as foil would probably be prone to sticking.

Melt butter in a saucepan over medium heat and add brown sugar and salt. Cook until the sugar dissolves into the butter and there isn't a separation of fat. The toffee should be completely emulsified.

Be careful as the caramel will burn pretty easily after this point.

Quickly stir in baking soda, which will cause a chemical reaction. The sugar is acidic and the baking soda is alkaline and will create carbon dioxide which will cause the toffee to aerate and will create a light, crisp texture instead of the typical chew that caramel has.

Pour the toffee over the popcorn, tossing with tongs or a large spoon to coat as evenly as possible. Let cool just long enough that it won't burn your fingers and then dig in.

The popcorn is light and airy and the toffee coating offers a delightful sweetness with just a hint of salt that makes this an incredibly moreish snack or dessert.

Here's the recipe page: