Maybe it's the college football parties, or the endless grazing before Thanksgiving dinner, but snacks and fall just seem to go together. Popcorn is a very old harvest snack, prepared in the New World long before Columbus ever got here.
This recipe for peanut butter popcorn, sweetened with honey, belongs for me in memories of my family. This was our favorite movie night treat, a quick snack with sweet and gooey peanut butter coating every kernel. I vastly prefer it to crunchier caramel corn. If you leave the popcorn in a covered bowl all night, the popcorn gets a little softer and the kernels and peanut butter meld together like soft, slightly salty taffy with a crunch in the middle.
Peanut Butter Popcorn
makes about 8 cups
1/4 cup popcorn kernels
Vegetable oil
Fine salt
1/2 cup honey
1/3 cup sugar
1/2 cup peanut butter (should be free of added sugar)
1/2 teaspoon vanilla
Prepare a clean paper shopping bag or oversized mixing bowl. Heat a large heavy pan over medium heat and film the bottom with vegetable oil. Add the popcorn, shake to distribute, then put a lid on the pan. Leave a small crack for steam to escape. When the popcorn starts popping, shake vigorously to make sure the kernels pop evenly. When the popping slows, take the pan off the heat. Pour the popcorn into the paper bag or bowl to cool, being careful to leave any unpopped kernels in the pan. Coated with peanut butter caramel, the unpopped kernels are a serious tooth hazard. Lightly salt the popcorn to taste.
Mix the honey and sugar in a small saucepan and bring to a boil. Let it simmer for a couple minutes, then remove from the heat and add the peanut butter. Stir vigorously until all the peanut butter is melted, then mix in the vanilla.
Immediately pour the peanut butter caramel over the popcorn and stir with a long-handled wooden spoon until it's all coated. Once it's mixed you can put it in a serving bowl. Cover tightly after it's cooled.
This recipe reminds me of the first time my mom (who immigrated from Hong Kong) made popcorn. She drizzled honey all through the bowl. I ate it up, but then told her that it's usually salted with butter. She was horrified, as popcorn was always a sweet snack in Hong Kong.
i'm jonesing to leave work right now & make this. would adding chocolate be gilding the lily?
i was thinking about this as i was printing out the recipe: i wish there was a print feature that would allow you to print out the recipes, minus the comments, in various formats.
I must try making this over the weekend.
im gorging over these as i type...yummmm my dog is loving them too,add some salt tho,brings out the flavor
view daiz's profile
The ingredients call for salt, but the recipe never uses it... how much? When does it go in?
view ChzPlz's profile
Sorry - salt the popcorn to taste when you pour it in the paper bag.
view faith's profile