Almond Toffee Popcorn
This is a relatively easy, buttery tasting caramel corn flavored with almonds.
Servings 7 cups
Cost 5
Ingredients
- 1 bag microwave popcorn or 5 to 6 cups popped popcorn
- 1 stick unsalted butter 4 ounces, cut up
- ½ cup granulated sugar
- ¼ cup warm water
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- ½ cup sliced almonds divided use
- ¼ teaspoon baking soda
- ½ cup whole roasted almonds or mixed nuts or a mix of nuts and small pretzels.
- 3 oz chopped milk or dark chocolate for drizzling
Instructions
- Pop any kind of popcorn you like so that you have 4-6 cups popped.
- Grease a roasting pan and line with parchment. Put the popcorn, the whole almonds and any other add-ins in the pan and stir them up.
- Place butter in a heavy, narrow, deep saucepan that measures 1 quart or a little over and melt over medium heat. When butter is completely melted, remove the pot from the heat. Off heat, add the sugar, salt and warm water and stir until evenly blended.
- Set a deep fry thermometer in pan, being careful that bulb is not touching bottom of pan. Set the mixture over medium-low heat and bring to a gentle boil (more than a simmer, but not a furious boil), stirring once or twice until it reaches 240 degrees F. This should take about 7 minutes. You don't want to rush it because the water needs to slowly evaporate as the sugar cookies.
- At 240 degrees, add the ½ cup sliced almonds to sugar mixture. After adding almonds, stir (almost) constantly. Keep stirring and moving the mixture with a wooden spoon until mixture reaches 290 degrees F. If temperature is not rising at a slow and steady rate, raise heat a tiny bit until it starts rising (going from 240 to 290 should not take any longer than 13 minutes). When mixture reaches 290 degrees F or just a little above (no lower), immediately remove from heat and stir in baking soda. Pour over the popcorn and stir to coat the best you can. There may be some popped corn with barely any candy on it, but that's okay.
- Let the toffee set while you melt the chocolate.
- Melt the chocolate in the microwave using high power and stirring every 30 seconds. Drizzle over the popcorn. Throw the whole roasting pan in the freezer (or transfer it to something that will fit in the freezer if your space is limited) and freeze for about 10 minutes or until toffee is set and chocolate is firm.
- Break it apart. Serve it immediately or store in the freezer.