New Year's Nuggets
This recipe for Chocolate Orange Popcorn Crunch combines the sweetness of caramelized popcorn with the rich flavor of milk chocolate for a delightful treat that is sure to satisfy your sweet tooth. The hint of orange extract adds a subtle citrusy twist to this addictive snack. Perfect for sharing with friends or enjoying as a special treat for yourself, this Chocolate Orange Popcorn Crunch is a delightful combination of flavors and textures that will leave you reaching for more.
— Constant Cookbook
Ingredients
- 1/2 cup dried yellow popcorn
- 3 tablespoons canola oil (optional)
- 1 cup sugar
- 1/2 cup light corn syrup
- Scant 1/4 cup water
- 1/4 teaspoon orange extract (optional)
- 8 ounces milk chocolate
Instructions
- Pop the popcorn in an air popper or in a large stockpot. If you use a stockpot, place the canola oil in the pot and heat over medium heat for about 1 minute. Add the popcorn, covering the bottom of the pan with an even layer of kernels. Cover the pan and let the kernels heat until they begin to pop vigorously, 1 to 2 minutes. Shake the pan every 15 seconds so that the kernels will not burn. The corn should finish popping in 3 to 4 minutes.
- Line several cookie sheets with parchment paper.
- In a heavy-bottomed saucepan, combine the sugar, corn syrup and water. Heat over medium-high heat until golden brown, about 5 minutes. Stir gently, add the orange extract, if using, and stir again. Add some of the popcorn and coat it with the caramel. Use a wooden utensil to help coat the corn. Place the coated kernels on the parchment paper to cool. Repeat.
- When cool, break up the clumps of caramel corn, keeping the corn clumps on the parchment.
- Heat the chocolate over low heat in the top of a double boiler, or in a metal bowl over a saucepan filled with 1 inch of hot water (creating your own double boiler). Heat the chocolate until it is smooth, 3 to 4 minutes. Make sure the chocolate does not burn.
- Fill a ladle with the melted chocolate and lightly drizzle over the caramel corn. Let the chocolate-caramel corn cool for 30 to 45 minutes. To make gifts, put small batches in cellophane bags; otherwise, wrap in parchment paper and keep in a Tupperware container in the refrigerator for 3 to 5 days. Makes 4 cups.
- Adapted from <i>Kids in the Holiday Kitchen,</i> by Jessica Strand & Tammy Massman-Johnson (Chronicle Books, 2007).
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