Caramel Corn Crunch

By lesliejanous

Caramel Crunch

2 bags microwave light popcorn
12 ounce jar salted, dry roasted peanuts
1 cup (2 sticks) butter (no substitutions)
1 cup sugar
1 cup light packed brown sugar
½ cup light corn syrup
½ teaspoon baking soda

Preheat oven to 250 degrees. Lightly grease two 15 ½ x 10 ½ inch jelly-roll pans. Place popped corn (remove unpopped kernels) and peanuts in a very large bowl and set aside. In a 3 quart saucepan, heat butter, sugars and corn syrup on medium heat until butter melts and sugars dissolve, about 5 minutes, constantly stirring. Increase heat to medium-high and heat to boiling, about 3 minutes. Boil 3 minutes longer. Remove from heat and stir in baking soda (mixture will bubble vigorously). Pour over popcorn and peanuts in bowl and immediately stir, until evenly coated. Divide popcorn between two pans, spread evenly and bake both pans 45 minutes, rotating the racks half way between cooking. Cool popcorn for an hour on wire racks. Break up any large clusters and store in tightly sealed container for up to two weeks. Some friends have made this recipe using Splenda Sugar and Splenda Brown Sugar and it was great. Be sure to convert the Splenda measurements according to the package directions.

Ingredients

• 2 bags microwave light popcorn
• 12 ounce jar salted, dry roasted peanuts
• 1 cup (2 sticks) butter (no substitutions)
• 1 cup sugar
• 1 cup light packed brown sugar
• 1/2 cup light corn syrup
• 1/2 teaspoon baking soda

Preparation

Step 1

Preheat oven to 250 degrees. Lightly grease two 15 ½ x 10 ½ inch jelly-roll pans. Place popped corn (remove unpopped kernels) and peanuts in a very large bowl and set aside. In a 3 quart saucepan, heat butter, sugars and corn syrup on medium heat until butter melts and sugars dissolve, about 5 minutes, constantly stirring. Increase heat to medium-high and heat to boiling, about 3 minutes. Boil 3 minutes longer. Remove from heat and stir in baking soda (mixture will bubble vigorously). Pour over popcorn and peanuts in bowl and immediately stir, until evenly coated. Divide popcorn between two pans, spread evenly and bake both pans 45 minutes, rotating the racks half way between cooking. Cool popcorn for an hour on wire racks. Break up any large clusters and store in tightly sealed container for up to two weeks. Some friends have made this recipe using Splenda Sugar and Splenda Brown Sugar and it was great. Be sure to convert the Splenda measurements according to the package directions.