Caramel Corn for Book Group

I participate in a queer book group.  I'm not sure we can really call ourselves a book group anymore since yesterday's gathering entailed watching the film Kissing Jessica Stein and eating nachos.  I thought it would be fun to make caramel corn as my contribution to the potluck since we'd be watching a movie instead of discussing a book.  I even bought little paper popcorn bags to put package it up in.

The recipe I used--a Martha Stewart one--came out wonderfully.  So wonderfully, in fact, that after I made and taste-tested the first batch, I seriously considered getting out more of the ingredients and making a second batch just for myself!  (For the record, I talked myself out of it.  I have been known to have willpower on occasion.) 

Here's the recipe I used.  Below it I've listed my adaptations.

Caramel Corn

12 c popped popcorn (from ½ c kernels)

1 ½ c Beer Nuts or shelled salted peanuts

1 stick plus 2 T unsalted butter

1 ¼ c packed light-brown sugar

1/3 c light corn syrup

salt

¼ t baking soda

1.      Preheat oven to 250 degrees.  Place popcorn and nuts in a large bowl.  Melt butter in a large heavy saucepan over medium heat.  Stir in sugar, corn syrup, and ½ t salt; cook, stirring occasionally, until sugar dissolves.  Raise heat to high; bring to a boil without stirring.  Cook until mixture reaches 248 degrees on a candy thermometer, 2 to 4 minutes.  Remove from heat; stir in baking soda.

2.     Add caramel to popcorn, and stir to coat.  Transfer mixture to a rimmed baking sheet.

3.     Bake for 45 minutes, stirring twice.  Remove from oven, and immediately sprinkle with 1 t salt.  Let cool.  Break into clusters.

Makes 12 cups.

Source:  Martha Stewart Living magazine, July 2010.

Adaptations: 

1. I used microwave popcorn rather than popping kernels over the stove.  The store didn't carry any completely unflavored types, so I got the "light" version, which simply has less salt and oil.  

2. Rather than purchasing beer nuts or peanuts, I used the salted, shelled pistachios I had on hand.  They were so good in it!

3. Because of the salt already in the packaged popcorn, I did not add the 1 t of salt at the very end of the recipe.  Which is good, because the finished product was perfectly salty and sweet.