Although I have never liked caramel popcorn (not even Cracker Jacks - I can't eat it - yuck.) I love 'toffee' coated popcorn. I used to make it about once a year but now it seems I'm making it about every month! I've made twice so far in September. I like it heavily coated so I make sure to make a lot of the toffee and use barely enough popcorn. The more toffee the better!
Toffee Coated Popcorn
2 t canola oil
1 c white corn syrup
1 1/2 c brown sugar
1/2 c water
1 t salt
1 t vanilla extract
1-2 bags microwave popcorn
Combine the oil, syrup, sugar, water and salt in a saucepan over medium heat and cook and stir until it's thick and the color of a penny. If you have a thermometer you need to get it to 300 degrees. If you are like me and use the ice water method, you want a teaspoon of the mixture to be at 'hard crack stage' when dropped into a glass of ice water.
Cook the popcorn while the toffee is boiling so the popcorn is still warm when you coat it. At hard crack stage, remove the pan from the stove and add the vanilla. Immediately pour the candy over the popcorn, stirring to coat. At this point pour the popcorn out onto buttered foil or wax paper and let it cool a minutes. When it's cool, break it apart and place in large gallon sized zip lock baggies to store.
Yum!
