Brown Sugar Caramel Corn

By cwyorkiex3

Ingredients

• 1 cup popcorn kernels (approximately 5 quarts popped corn)
• 1 tablespoon canola oil
• 1 cup brown sugar
• 1/4 cup water
• 1 stick unsalted butter
• 1/2 cup heavy cream
• 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
• generous pinch of Sea Salt
• 1 1/2 cups roasted salted peanuts

Preparation

Step 1

First pop your popcorn using whatever technique suits you. The kids always love using this old-fashioned popper. I use a little canola oil in the popper along with a cup of corn. When popcorn is done. Set aside.

Place brown sugar in a small heavy sauce pan. Pour water evenly over the top. Turn stove top to medium-high heat. Hold sauce pan by the handle and swirl occasionally until sugar has dissolved. (Avoid letting sugar burn until completely dissolved.) Cover pan, turn heat to high, and boil for 2 minutes. Remove lid and continue to boil until syrup turns brown around the edges of the pan. Again grab the handle and swirl syrup occasionally until it thickens and begins to smoke. The sauce should reach about 275 to 300 degrees before you remove it from the heat.

Remove pan from heat. Add butter. Gently whisk, until all butter is mixed in.

Stir in cream.

If sauce become lumpy, set pan over low heat and stir until smooth then turn off heat again.

Stir in vanilla and salt and your caramel is done.

Preheat oven to 250 degrees.

The caramel corn should be baked in two batches: First, line a large cookie sheet with parchment. Next, spread about 1/2 of the popcorn on the parchment. Then drizzle about 1/2 of the caramel over the top of the popcorn. Add 3/4 cup peanuts. Toss until ingredient are integrated.

Place cookie sheet in the oven. Stir every 20 minutes or so. Note: don't use your fingers to toss corn. Hot caramel sticks to your fingers and really burns!

The caramel corn should be done in 45 minutes to an hour. Remove cookie sheet from oven, let the caramel corn cool. Make your second batch. Eat. Enjoy!