Equipment
Ingredients
Base
- 100 g plain popped popcorn
- 150 g pecans, toasted and roughly chopped
Caramel Coating
- 115 g unsalted butter
- 200 g light brown sugar, packed
- 120 ml pure maple syrup
- 5 g fine sea salt
- 4 g baking soda
- 5 ml vanilla extract
Nutrition (per serving)
Method
Preheat your oven to 120C/250F. Line a large baking sheet with parchment paper. In your largest mixing bowl, combine the popped popcorn and toasted pecans.
In a heavy-bottomed saucepan, combine the butter, brown sugar, maple syrup, and sea salt. Melt over medium heat, stirring gently until the butter is completely melted and the mixture is uniform.
Stop stirring. Attach your instant-read thermometer to the side of the pan. Allow the mixture to boil undisturbed until it reaches exactly 121C/250F, the hard ball stage.
Immediately remove the saucepan from the heat. Carefully stir in the baking soda and vanilla extract using the silicone spatula. The mixture will aggressively bubble up, become opaque, and lighten in color.
Quickly pour the foaming hot caramel over the popcorn and pecans in the mixing bowl. Toss vigorously with the silicone spatula until the mixture is evenly coated. Work fast before the caramel begins to set.
Transfer the coated popcorn to the prepared baking sheet, spreading it out into an even layer.
Bake at 120C/250F for 45 minutes. Every 15 minutes, remove the pan and toss the popcorn to redistribute the caramel as it melts, which ensures an even, thin coating.
Remove from the oven and allow the caramel corn to cool completely on the baking sheet for at least 30 minutes. Once cooled and brittle, break any large clumps into bite-sized pieces.
Chef's Notes
- Mise en place is non-negotiable for caramel work. Have your baking soda and vanilla measured and right next to the stove before the sugar boils.
- The baking soda reacts with the acidic components in the brown sugar and maple syrup, creating millions of tiny carbon dioxide bubbles. This aerates the cooling sugar, changing the texture from a tooth-shattering hard candy to a tender, brittle crunch.
- Baking the coated popcorn serves two purposes: it dries out any residual moisture from the butter and syrup, and it melts the caramel just enough to thin it out and coat every kernel perfectly.
- Always pick through your popped popcorn meticulously before starting. Biting into an unpopped kernel hidden inside a clump of caramel corn can easily damage a tooth.
