6 cups popcorn, popped
6 strips of cooked bacon, roughly chopped
½ cup almonds, toasted
½ cup unsalted butter
3 tbsp light corn syrup
½ cup real maple syrup
1/3 cup light brown sugar
Pinch of salt
1 tsp vanilla
4 tbsp bourbon
½ tsp baking soda
Preheat oven to 250 and line a large baking sheet with parchment paper or silicon mat.
Place the popcorn in a large mixing bowl and set aside. In a smaller bowl, mix the bacon and almonds and set aside.
In a small sauce pan, melt the butter, corn syrup, maple syrup, brown sugar and salt over medium-high heat. Bring to a boil, lower heat and let slightly boil until the mixture reads 250 on a candy thermometer. (Don’t have one? That’s about 5 minutes.) The color should be dark amber.
Turn the heat off and remove pan from stove. Add the vanilla and bourbon. (Be careful: The mixture will splatter.) Stir until completely incorporated. Add the baking soda and mix. The mixture will turn from dark amber to a light caramel color and start to foam. (Foaming keeps the caramel from becoming rock hard.)
Add the bacon and almond mix into the caramel. Stir until all pieces are covered. With a rubber spatula, carefully mix the popcorn while slowly pouring the caramel mixture over the popcorn. Mix the popcorn until all the popcorn is covered completely.
Pour the caramel popcorn evenly on the baking sheet. Taste the caramel and sprinkle with salt if preferred. (But remember: The bacon will be salty too.)
Place in the oven and bake for 25 minutes. Remove the baking sheet and let cool for 20 minutes.
Once cooled, break into pieces and serve immediately or place in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 4 days.
Super Sweet
By Scott Kearnan | Photo Credit: Holly Rike | Jan. 23, 2015
Bourbon Bacon Caramel Popcorn
6 cups popcorn, popped
6 strips of cooked bacon, roughly chopped
½ cup almonds, toasted
½ cup unsalted butter
3 tbsp light corn syrup
½ cup real maple syrup
1/3 cup light brown sugar
Pinch of salt
1 tsp vanilla
4 tbsp bourbon
½ tsp baking soda
Preheat oven to 250 and line a large baking sheet with parchment paper or silicon mat.
Place the popcorn in a large mixing bowl and set aside. In a smaller bowl, mix the bacon and almonds and set aside.
In a small sauce pan, melt the butter, corn syrup, maple syrup, brown sugar and salt over medium-high heat. Bring to a boil, lower heat and let slightly boil until the mixture reads 250 on a candy thermometer. (Don’t have one? That’s about 5 minutes.) The color should be dark amber.
Turn the heat off and remove pan from stove. Add the vanilla and bourbon. (Be careful: The mixture will splatter.) Stir until completely incorporated. Add the baking soda and mix. The mixture will turn from dark amber to a light caramel color and start to foam. (Foaming keeps the caramel from becoming rock hard.)
Add the bacon and almond mix into the caramel. Stir until all pieces are covered. With a rubber spatula, carefully mix the popcorn while slowly pouring the caramel mixture over the popcorn. Mix the popcorn until all the popcorn is covered completely.
Pour the caramel popcorn evenly on the baking sheet. Taste the caramel and sprinkle with salt if preferred. (But remember: The bacon will be salty too.)
Place in the oven and bake for 25 minutes. Remove the baking sheet and let cool for 20 minutes.
Once cooled, break into pieces and serve immediately or place in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 4 days.
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