Butter + Brown Sugar = Bliss a/k/a Caramel Corn

(Owing to several unforeseen events, I missed blogging, and will post both tonight and tomorrow to catch me up here. Please accept my apologies and enjoy the recipes in spite of my lateness, if you can.)


Anyone remember Peg Bracken? She wrote THE I HATE TO COOK BOOK the year I was born (although I am reasonably sure the two facts are not related) and even though I do love to cook, as I said before, I love Peg Bracken's books. I was quite pleased to see the original has just been reissued for its anniversary, with a new foreword by Peg's daughter, Johanna. (Yes, I bought one, and it says a lot about me that I did, because I have one of the original paperback editions (with a cover price of something like fifty cents, if I recall correctly) and an old hardcover as well, and then something called THE COMPLEAT I HATE TO COOK BOOK, which included the sequel--I STILL HATE TO COOK BOOK--and an update from Peg herself. (But this one has her daughter's thoughts! I had to have it!)

Well, in 1980 I lived in a very very small town that had one of the tiniest libraries I had ever seen (it has since been expanded several times.) Next to the circulation desk was a paperback rack, and you could have anything from it that you wanted, to keep, or read and return. That rack, in fact, is where ALL my Peg Bracken paperbacks came from. And one day I found one I'd never heard of, called THE I HATE TO COOK ALMANACK: A Book of Days, Recipes & Relief for the Reluctant Cook and the Harried Houseperson.

I have been cooking from it (and laughing with it--Peg would speak of sauteeing onions until they are limp and defeated, or stirring a sauce long enough for one good chorus of "Gloomy Sunday", and so on) ever since. And because her recipes never called for anything exotic or even expensive, I generally had what I needed, on hand, to try anything that looked interesting in her books.

And so we come to what she called Balderdash, or "(A descendant of old fashioned crackajack and much improved. Also known as crackatooth if some shells get in by mistake.)" It sounded so simple that I had to try it, and once I did, and found how good it was, I had to continue to make it as often as possible. It's a remarkably flexible recipe, as you will see in a minute....


We are picky about popcorn in this house, using only yellow popcorn, with peanut oil and melted butter and superfine salt, but you can do whatever feels right to you, including microwave popcorn , even store-bought popped corn if that's more to your liking or convenience. However you get there, you need to begin with 10 cups of popped corn. Spray a large baking pan with Pam and toss the popcorn into it, and set it in a 250 degree oven while you make the caramel.

In a heavy pan, combine:
1/2 cup butter (1 stick, and not margarine)

1 cup packed brown sugar (light or dark or a blend of both)

1/4 cup light corn syrup (or honey, if you prefer, and it's equally wonderful) The easiest way to measure any kind of syrup is to spray the measuring cup with Pam first. It will slide right out!

1/2 teaspoon salt

Stir until the sugar dissolves and simmer until a candy thermometer registers 248 degrees, also known as the firm ball stage. This takes about five minutes. Take it off the heat and stir in 1/2 teaspoon of baking soda. The syrup will foam up and change color and texture, and it should, so don't worry, you didn't ruin it. Just beat it well for a minute. Pour the caramel over the hot popcorn and stir until well blended. Put it in the oven and bake it for 45 minutes, stirring every 15. When it's cool, break it apart into smaller clusters and store it in airtight containers (jars, tins, whatever you prefer.)

I have made this into popcorn balls, but we all seem to like handfuls best. And when I said it's a remarkably flexible recipe, I meant it: you can use dark corn syrup, molasses, even pancake syrup (but not lite or diet syrup)It's all about what you have, and what flavors you like; we stick to light syrup or honey. And you CAN add nuts to it--peanuts, pecans, walnuts--if you like, though we never do; if you do, add them to the popcorn before you pour on the caramel.

What you see pictured here is a triple batch. It is already disappearing fast, and I like to think Peg Bracken would be very, very pleased about that. I know I am. I mean, I know it's not a cookie, but it's a wonderful, wonderful treat. Make it once, and you'll be hooked.