CARAMELISED PINEAPPLE & CHILLI POPCORN

Steps:

• To make the pineapple syrup, pour the pineapple juice into a frying pan or wok (the wider the base, the better). Heat on a medium temperature, swirling the pan regularly to ensure that it doesn't burn at the bottom.
• Do this until most of the liquid has evaporated and you're left with about a tablespoon of intense pineapple syrup that has the consistency of honey. This might take up to an hour, so it's worth starting early and perhaps pouring yourself a glass of wine.
• Pop the butter in a saucepan along with the sugar, salt and chilli. Heat on a low-medium temperature, stirring regularly to help the sugar to dissolve.
• Once the mixture has thickened to a consistency similar to lemon curd, reduce your stirring and bring it slowly to the boil until bubbles start to appear all over the surface.
• Once it starts bubbling, leave it to caramelise for 3 minutes without stirring. The colour will start to darken.
• While waiting for the caramel to cook, fill a tablespoon with the pineapple syrup, so that it is ready to add to the mixture. Make sure that your popcorn is also ready and waiting in a big bowl that has plenty of room for some vigorous stirring.
• After 3 minutes, take the caramel mixture off the heat and add the tablespoon of pineapple syrup to the frying pan, stirring it inches.
• Immediately pour the mixture over the popcorn, stirring quickly to ensure that the popcorn is evenly coated before the caramel cools and hardens.
• Put the popcorn on a baking tray and place it in the oven at 100°C for 30 minutes to evaporate off any remaining liquid and allow it to become deliciously crisp.
• Take the popcorn out of the oven and leave it to cool.
• Sit back and enjoy - perhaps paired with an elegant Sauternes while dreaming of azure seas, golden beaches and palm trees swaying gently in the breeze.
• From ThePopcornist.com.