Grandma Henrietta's Caramel Popcorn

This recipe comes to us from the Brockman Family Farm where Janie's Mill crops, including Butterfly White popcorn, are grown. Henrietta Brockman (Mill Manager Jill's grandmother) frequently had this caramel popcorn on hand for the grandkids and great-grandkids who visited the farm, especially during the Christmas holiday. It is delicious and dangerously addictive!

Yield: 5 quarts of caramel corn

Total Time: 90 minutes

Ingredients

• 5 quarts popped Janie's Mill Butterfly White Popcorn (about 1 cup unpopped popcorn)
• 2 cups (426 g) light brown sugar
• 1⁄2 cup (156 g) light corn syrup
• 1 cup (2 sticks or 226 g) unsalted butter 
• 1⁄4 teaspoon cream of tartar
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1 teaspoon baking soda

Caramel popcorn cooling on a parchment-lined counter.

Instructions

1. Pop the popcorn without using any oil or butter. Remove any unpopped kernels. Transfer the popcorn to a large aluminum roasting pan with enough room for it to be tossed without overflowing. Set aside. 
2. In a medium saucepan, combine the brown sugar, corn syrup, butter, cream of tartar, and salt. Measure the baking soda and set it aside.
3. Bring the butter and sugar mixture to a boil over medium high heat, stirring continuously to be sure it doesn't burn. 
4. After boiling rapidly for about five minutes, the caramel should reach the hard-ball stage between 250 and 265°F. Use an instant read thermometer to check the temperature or drizzle a little caramel into a cold glass of water to test. If the caramel snaps and holds its shape after cooling in the cold water, it is ready.
5. Remove the caramel saucepan from the heat and immediately stir in the baking soda. Stir thoroughly until no streaks of baking soda remain. The caramel should bubble and increase in size rapidly as you stir.
6. Pour the caramel over the prepared popcorn in the roasting pan. Stir gently until the popcorn is evenly coated.
7. Bake at 300°F for one hour stirring the popcorn every 20 minutes. The caramel should darken slightly as it bakes.
8. Turn the popcorn out of the pan onto a parchment paper lined surface, spread apart, and allow to cool completely. 
9. Break any large chunks of caramel corn apart and store in tightly sealed containers to maintain crispness.