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This easy caramel corn recipe contains no dairy, vegan butter or refined sugars. It’s simple to make and as tasty as the original Cracker Jacks I had as a kid.

Caramel corn on a baking tray

What Makes Caramel Corn So Special?

The one ingredient that makes all the difference in caramel corn is bicarbonate of soda or baking soda. This is also a key ingredient in Honeycomb – it aerates the sugar mixture which is why it puffs up and has loads of air pockets.

The same is true for using it in Caramel Corn. The bicarb aerates the sticky sugar mass and, when dried, it creates a light and airy sugar crust on the popcorn- giving it a crispy outer shell. Very clever.

Without the bicarb, the caramel sauce would be thick and dense.

How To Store Caramel Popcorn

As it’s covered in a sugar syrup, the popcorn needs to be stored in an airtight container to prevent it from taking on moisture from the environment.

What Other Oils Can I Use In The Recipe?

So far I have tested using deodorised coconut oil (my preference) and cold pressed rapeseed oil.

Why?

Because I plan to sell this at my local markets during the Summer and coconut oil does rancid when it’s at a warm temperature for a long time. I want to avoid needing to store this in a cooler during the warm months.

The difference between the two: the coconut oil doesn’t have a taste to it, as far as my palate is concerned. The rapeseed oil has a distinct taste. My next test will be olive oil, which does pari well with caramel. So I think that will be interesting.

Alternatively, you can use dairy or vegan butter.

What Are My Sweetener Options?

I have opted to use maple syrup and coconut sugar. The original recipe I was following used evaporated cane juice (This recipe has been adapted from The Cinnamon Snails recipe)

You could also use honey in place of the maple and coconut sugar – this, I imagine, would result in a more Honeycomb-ish creation which could be pretty awesome.

Is Drying The Caramel Corn Necessary?

Yes! If you don’t dry it after adding the sauce, the caramel sauce will remain sticky and clumpy. The drying process removes excess moisture in both the popcorn itself and the caramel sauce.

Watch The Process: Step by Step

Check out this light airy crust on every kernel.

Caramel corn

How Do You Get a Thicker Coating of Caramel?

Easy… double the caramel sauce recipe! However, I find that even kernels with a splash of the sauce are still really delicious and not overly sweet. Just right.

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Caramel Corn

An easy, dairy and refined sugar free caramel corn recipe that anyone can make.

Ingredients

For the popcorn

  • 100g popping corn
  • 15g deodorised coconut oil or other oil/butter

For the caramel sauce

  • 40g coconut oil or other oil/butter
  • 60g maple syrup
  • 60g coconut sugar
  • 4g bicarbonate of soda
  • sea salt to taste

Instructions

To Make The Popcorn

  • Add the popping corn and oil to a suitably sized pot.
  • Place over med-high heat – I have an induction stove and I used number 7 out of 10.
  • Wait till you hear the popcorn starting to pop. You can give the pan a shake, but this can take a few minutes to start.
  • Once it's popping, tilt the lid to the side so it's not completely tight – this will allow moisture to escape and result in a lighter popcorn.
  • When the pops are 10 seconds apart, remove the lid and take it off the heat.
  • Transfer to a bowl double the size needed to fit the popcorn – so you have space to toss the caramel sauce in next. Remove any un-popped popcorn – it will fall to the bottom of the bowl.

The Caramel Sauce & Finishing

  • Preheat your oven to 105c / 225f
  • Line a baking tray with greaseproof paper. My tray is 40cm x 30cm x 2.5cm
  • Add all ingredients except the bicarb to a small saucepan and turn onto med-high heat.
  • Stir all the while to create a smooth caramel sauce.
  • Once it comes to the boil, reduce the heat to medium and add the bicarb. Stir quickly to combine well.
  • Immediately pour over the popcorn and mix well – don't doddle at this stage.
  • Transfer the popcorn to the baking tray and spread out evenly. It can overlap a little, no big deal. The overlaps will create clusters which are scrummy.
  • Dry in the oven for 25 mins and then allow to cool at room temp before eating or storing in an air tight container.
  • It should keep at least 6 weeks in an airtight container, but likely much longer.
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