Caramel Crack

Day 15

Caramel corn for supper? What tha...?

Leftovers for Supper

No, we did not have caramel corn for supper, or, as we call it, Caramel Crack. What we had for supper was a piece of leftover pizza each, right after work, followed by leftover Scarborough Fair stew a couple hours later. Both were yummy and sustaining and hit the spot!

But, I don't want to focus on our leftovers, today. Boring. Instead, I want to tell you about my should-be famous Caramel Crack recipe, that Laura has been trying to get me to make for weeks.

How to Make Caramel Crack

Caramel Crack

I discovered this recipe years ago when we lived in Fredericton and were on a tight budget. I actually bought all the ingredients tonight at the Bulk Barn for less than 6.00, with the exception of the vanilla and corn syrup, which I already had some of.

Total Ingredients:

• 1/3 - 1/2 cups unpopped popcorn
• 1 - 2 tbsp oil (I use coconut)
• 1 cup pretzels
• 1/2 - 1 cup nuts
• 1 cup brown sugar
• 1/2 cup butter
• 1/4 cup corn syrup
• 1/2 tsp baking soda
• 1 1/2 tsp vanilla

Other Items Needed:

• Saucepan
• Cookie sheet
• Parchment paper

Popcorn

I have never made this with microwave popcorn, but it might work. Instead, I pop it the old-fashioned way in a large pot with a lid.

Unpopped popcorn

How to Make Old-Fashioned Popcorn:

1. Add 1 - 2 tbsp oil to the pot, and heat the oil on medium heat with a few kernels of corn. 
2. When one or two of the kernels pop, it's time to add the rest of the kernels, about 1/3 - 1/2 cup.
3. Popcorn is done when you can count more than 2 seconds between pops.

This should make about 5 or 6 cups of cooked popcorn. There's a bit of a trick to it, because you need to agitate the pot while it's popping while leaving the lid on but cracked so that steam can escape. It's definitely a job for two pot-holdered hands, since the pot will get quite hot (mine is stainless steel, so heat conduction be happening) and sometimes the popcorn will escape through the crack and come flying at you, or will hit your hand. But, that is not why it's called crack.

Dry Ingredients

5 - 6 cups popped popcorn
1 cup pretzels
1/2 - 1 cup nuts

Popcorn, pretzels, peanuts & walnuts

Combine all the dry ingredients into a very large bowl. Just grab the largest one you have, that'll be the one you want. If you don't have a large enough one, divide the dry ingredients into two separate bowls.

The Caramel

1 cup brown sugar
1/2 cup butter
1/4 cup corn syrup
1/2 tsp baking soda
1 1/2 tsp vanilla

Boiling caramel

Super hot boiling caramel

Measure the sugar, butter and syrup into a saucepan, and bring to a boil over medium heat. Once it is boiling, turn heat down to medium-low and boil for exactly 5 minutes. When the time is up, remove from the heat, add the baking soda and very quickly beat it into the caramel. It will foam. Then add the vanilla and very quickly beat it into the foamy caramel. It will sputter, but the caramel will turn glossy again.

The Final Steps

Two pans of carmel crack in the oven to cure

1. Pour the caramel onto the dry ingredients and, using a large mixing spoon or wooden spoon, stir together until all the dry ingredients are coated. 
2. Pour the coated mixture onto two parchment-lined baking sheets.
3. Bake in a 250 (degrees F) oven for 20 - 30 minutes to harden. 
4. Remove from oven.
5. Let cool.
6.  Break into pieces. 
7. Serve to all the caramel crackheads you know.

Caramel crack, hot from the oven

Reviews/Comments

Make this recipe and find out why we call it crack. Do it.

Make it Vegan

I am not sure a butter substitute would work, but you could try.