Caramel corn made the slow oven way — a big batch of popped popcorn coated in a brown sugar and corn syrup caramel, then baked low and slow for an hour with stirring every fifteen minutes until every kernel is evenly glazed and crisp. The baking soda lightens the coating so it stays airy rather than rock-hard. Mary Ringlein’s recipe makes a full 7 quarts — exactly the right amount for a holiday tin or a bowl that disappears faster than you expect.
Ingredients
7 qt popped popcorn
2 sticks (1 c) margarine
2 c brown sugar
½ c light corn syrup
1 tsp salt
1 tsp vanilla
½ tsp baking soda
Instructions
Preheat oven to 250°F.
Place the popped popcorn in a large roaster pan.
In a saucepan, combine the margarine, brown sugar, corn syrup, and salt.
Bring to a boil over medium heat, stirring constantly. Boil for 5 minutes, continuing to stir.
Remove from heat. Stir in the vanilla and baking soda — the mixture will foam up.
Pour the caramel over the popcorn and toss to coat as evenly as possible.
Bake at 250°F for 1 hour, stirring every 15 minutes.
Pour onto cookie sheets to cool completely.
Break apart any clumps and store in an airtight container.
