When I first tried making popcorn this way I was surprised at the difference the drying in the oven made, it really is worth the wait for this deliciously crunchy toffee coated popcorn which will keep its crunch in an airtight container for a couple of weeks, if you have any left, as its very hard to stop eating once you start!
Free From: Gluten, Wheat, Soy, Sesame, Potato Flour/Starch & Nuts.
Ingredients:
½ cup (80g) popping corn kernels
1 Tablespoon oil
100g (4oz) butter
1 cup (200g) soft brown sugar
3 Tablespoons golden syrup/honey
½ teaspoon salt
½ teaspoon baking soda
1 Tablespoon banana powder* (optional, to taste)
1 – 2 cups banana chips (crushed small)
Method:
- Put oil into a large saucepan and heat on stove top to medium high. Put 2 kernels of corn into the pot, when they start sizzling add the rest of the corn and put the lid on.
- As the kernels begin to pop turn the element off and slide/shake the pot back and forward on the element until it sounds like all the kernels have popped.
- Immediately transfer to a large bowl, leaving out any unpopped corn or burnt bits.
- Place a small saucer of water next to your stove top.
- In a medium saucepan melt together butter, brown sugar, golden syrup/honey and salt, stirring constantly until it begins to boil.
- Then turn down until it is slowly bubbling and cook without stirring for 5 – 8 minutes. Stay and watch as toffee can burn quickly.
- To test if toffee is ready, drip a blob of toffee from the end of a spoon into a the saucer of cold water, if the blob holds its shape and it can be rolled into a soft ball between your fingers then it is ready.
- Take saucepan of the heat immediately, add the banana powder (if using) and the baking soda, mix in quickly then pour over the popcorn, sprinkle on the banana chips and stir thoroughly to coat the popcorn.
- Pour the coated popcorn into a baking dish lined with baking paper and put into an oven to bake at 100ºC (200ºF) fan bake.
- After 15 minutes take dish out and break up the popcorn chunks so that each kernel is separate then put back into the oven. Repeat every 15 min until 1 hour is up.
- Remove popcorn from the oven and leave to cool down and then put into an airtight container.
- This will keep for 2 weeks, if you can resist it that long! Add more banana chips on serving if desired.
Cook’s Tip:
To make paper cones for serving (as pictured) cut an A2 sheet of paper or card into a square, then that square into 2 triangles. Take one corner and twist up to the other corner, do the same with the remaining opposite corner until you have formed a cone. Hold the edges together with tape. PS: You can also use this same method to make a disposable piping bag from baking paper.
*We used Nutrafresh Sparkling Banana Powder