Caramel corn for gifts
December 4, 2019 9:59 PM Subscribe
I want to make caramel corn for gifts this Christmas. There are a million recipes on the Internet. What's worked for you?
What will help the corn last longer? The first recipe I read said "best when fresh", and there will be a couple of days' gap between when I make the corn and when it gets eaten. Others say "will last for a week in an airtight container". Does the shelf life depend on the caramel:corn ratio, the baking time, or something else altogether?
How do I ensure the coating is sufficiently crunchy and not just sticky?
I'm a decent baker but have very little experience with caramel/candy. I like popcorn, but I mostly stick to savory toppings for myself, so I'm clueless when it comes to the sweet stuff.
What will help the corn last longer? The first recipe I read said "best when fresh", and there will be a couple of days' gap between when I make the corn and when it gets eaten. Others say "will last for a week in an airtight container". Does the shelf life depend on the caramel:corn ratio, the baking time, or something else altogether?
How do I ensure the coating is sufficiently crunchy and not just sticky?
I'm a decent baker but have very little experience with caramel/candy. I like popcorn, but I mostly stick to savory toppings for myself, so I'm clueless when it comes to the sweet stuff.
I’ve made this one a couple of times, including once as holiday giveaways, and it’s addictively great. I use the modifications noted in the video, cooking it at 200 instead of 250, and stopping when it’s done, which may be less than the hour called for. I also use other modifications from the comments — butter instead of margarine and deeper pans for easier stirring. It’s crunchy and lasts fine in ziplocs for at least several days — I’ve never had it around longer than that.
posted by daisyace at 6:16 AM on December 5, 2019 [1 favorite]
posted by daisyace at 6:16 AM on December 5, 2019 [1 favorite]
You need HUGE mixing containers to get the coating step right. Like a giant stockpot.
posted by fingersandtoes at 7:39 AM on December 5, 2019
posted by fingersandtoes at 7:39 AM on December 5, 2019
This sesame caramel corn, made with maple syrup and tahini is to die for. Like, can’t stop eating it good.
And, yeah, the drying out step in the oven is critical to crunchy caramel corn.
posted by Weeping_angel at 11:03 AM on December 5, 2019
And, yeah, the drying out step in the oven is critical to crunchy caramel corn.
posted by Weeping_angel at 11:03 AM on December 5, 2019
Seconding daisyace's recommendation! That is my favorite caramel corn recipe.
posted by esoterrica at 7:53 PM on December 5, 2019
posted by esoterrica at 7:53 PM on December 5, 2019
Response by poster: Thanks, everyone, for all your tips and hard-earned wisdom! I'll update with findings when they are available.
posted by invokeuse at 8:23 PM on December 5, 2019
posted by invokeuse at 8:23 PM on December 5, 2019
Response by poster: Gifts have all been eaten, and plenty of compliments have been received! I mostly followed the Orangette recipe posted by notquitejane. It was about the right amount of popcorn to bake in a 9x13ish pan, which was the largest pan I had (until I went to the dollar store to get some disposable aluminium roasting pans.) Proportions are pretty similar to the second recipe posted by daisyace and esoterrica (Orangette uses a bit more butter and vanilla), so it seems like a solid template for basic caramel corn.
My tips for anyone stumbling across this:
1) The candy thermometer is worth it: it makes your life less stressful. (I made a homemade marshmallow recipe recently which did not use a thermometer and it didn't quite turn out.)
2) Clean-up of the caramel saucepan was a bit of a pain until I figured out I could just let the pot soak in warm water for a long time.
3) Don't forget the salt! I used stovetop popcorn popped in coconut oil and wasn't consistent about salting the corn, but I think it turned out better when I did.
posted by invokeuse at 5:56 PM on January 1, 2020
My tips for anyone stumbling across this:
1) The candy thermometer is worth it: it makes your life less stressful. (I made a homemade marshmallow recipe recently which did not use a thermometer and it didn't quite turn out.)
2) Clean-up of the caramel saucepan was a bit of a pain until I figured out I could just let the pot soak in warm water for a long time.
3) Don't forget the salt! I used stovetop popcorn popped in coconut oil and wasn't consistent about salting the corn, but I think it turned out better when I did.
posted by invokeuse at 5:56 PM on January 1, 2020
« Older Documentaries that changed the world | Possible AAA battery leak in laundry. How to... Newer »
This thread is closed to new comments.
I prefer to use air-popped popcorn, but microwaved popcorn is certainly convenient. When I'm feeling fancy I put in mixed nuts instead of peanuts, but that's as far as substitutions go.
Having all your tools and ingredients out and ready to go is also key to success – when things start to happen in candy-making, they happen fast. It's worth investing in a candy thermometer for this – they're only about $10 and using one takes a lot of the guesswork out of the process.
The secret to keeping it crunchy seems to be the hour baking in a low oven; I also ensure that it's completely cool before packaging, just in case of rogue condensation. I suspect that shelf-life is related to how dry/crunchy the candy coating is, and then how airtight the packaging is...but I've never had any that didn't get eaten within a week, so I don't know for sure.
Good luck!
posted by notquitejane at 4:26 AM on December 5, 2019 [2 favorites]