Popcorn Balls

I was one of those “bussed in kids” for trick-or-treating because that’s what happens when you don’t live in a subdivision. Most years we went to a family friend’s house (still rural but a neighborhood with large lots and long driveways) who would host a big party, load up all the kids in a hay wagon and drive the neighborhood. At each driveway, we’d jump off the wagon and run down loooooong driveways to get the goods. There was the house with witch’s brew, the house with Zapp’s, and my favorite — the house with popcorn balls.

I literally wait all year to make popcorn balls. I talked about popcorn balls so much one year my dad and a coworker each mailed me a box of Steen’s.

Ingredients
1/2 cup of popcorn kernels
3 T neutral oil
12 ounce 100% pure cane syrup
1/4 t salt
1 T butter

Directions
Put the oil in the bottom of a heavy bottom pot. Heat to medium low-medium. Put three kernels in the bottom of the pot. When they pop (if it 1/2 pops, your pot isn’t hot enough), add the rest of the kernels, put the lid on and let it pop. Put the popcorn in a bowl and give the pot a good wipe.

Put the syrup and the salt in a pot on medium heat and stir occasionally. Lay wax paper on the counter and butter it. Use a candy thermometer to check the temperature — the final temperature is 260 degrees. Turn off the heat. Stir in the butter. Stir in the popcorn.

Glob about 3 heaping serving spoons (you can go bigger or smaller — I think this is a good serving size) of popcorn on the wax paper. Drop about 4 mounds. Then form the first one in a ball. You can go as tight as you like. I don’t like to go too tight because it will be harder to bite. The resting period allows the popcorn to cool enough to handle and the popcorn in the pot to stay warm so it doesn’t cool prematurely. Repeat until no more balls.

Notes
To clean the pot, add water and gently heat. The sugar will dissolve making for easy clean up.