Best Caramel Puffcorn Recipes

Caramel Puffcorn image

Provided by TERRI OPGENORTH

Time 25m

Number Of Ingredients 5

1 bag(s) puff corn (chester's, kwik trip etc.)
1 c brown sugar
1 stick butter
1/4 c karo white syrup
1 tsp baking soda

Steps:

1. In a large glass measuring cup(at least 4 cups) put sugars and butter.
2. Microwave for 3 minutes, stirring half way through.
3. Stir in Baking soda until it expands, foams and turns a lighter color. Pour over puff corn in a paper bag or cardboard box that fits in your microwave. Shake!
4. Microwave 45 seconds, remove and shake!
5. Repeat 2 more times and pour out onto freezer paper. Be careful--it is HOT!
6. Break apart a bit with the spatula and let it cool. Then you can break it apart a bit more.
7. CAUTION!!! While breaking apart the cool clusters, DO NOT TASTE! (you will eat the while batch and have to start over!)

DEE'S VERSION OF PUFFCORN CARAMEL CORN image

Provided by Dee Stillwell

Time 1h5m

Number Of Ingredients 7

5 - 3.5oz bags of puffcorn. like puffy cheesey cheetos, except butter flavor (chester's is the only brand i can find, so just use abt16 oz of any brand)
2 cubes or 1 cup butter
2 cups brown sugar
1 cup light karo syrup (sometimes i mix 1/2 cup each light and dark corn syrup
1/4 cup molasses
2 tsp baking soda
2 tsp vanilla

Steps:

1. Preheat oven to 250°F. Spray 2 large aluminum turkey roaster pans with cooking spray. Pour 2 1/2 Bags puff corn into each pan. In a 4 quart saucepan over medium heat, add butter, brown sugar, and corn syrup and mix well. Bring mixture to a boil, stirring constantly, and cook for 2-3 minutes. Remove from heat and stir in baking soda and vanilla extract; the mixture will foam and expand. stir until evenly mixed and foamy. Carefully pour syrup over puff corn and keep stirring with a large long handled spoon to cover all pieces of puffcorn.
2. Bake for 1 hour and 15 minutes, stirring well every 20 minutes. After 1 hour, leave a few caramel pieces out to sample when they cool they should be crunchy. If not, bake another 15 minutes. Let Caramel Puff Corn cool at least 30 minutes in pan stirring every 5 minutes so it cools without sticking together. Store in an air tight container.
3. I find when you are making a large batch like this it is much easier and the pieces get coated better if you have another person to stir one pan while you do the other. I am usually making it alone tho so some pieces don't get coated as well before the syrup starts cooling off.
4. **NOTE: BE SURE TO READ THE PKGS OF PUFFCORN AND THAT YOU ONLY USE PLAIN OR BUTTER FLAVORED BCUZ THE CHEESE ONES ARE NOT GOOD FOR THIS RECIPE.**