Chocolate Caramel Popcorn Balls: National Popcorn Day

Today is National Popcorn Day! I usually post popcorn recipes around the time of Academy Awards, but I came across this recipe last year on the Taza Chocolate website. You may recall that I always have a bar of Taza Mexicano chocolate in my desk. It's a favorite. I love the stone ground texture.  So, I've saved this slightly adapted recipe for Chocolate Caramel Popcorn Balls to post today. As I've mentioned before on this blog, you can find some great recipes at food and food association sites. I love the crunchy salty-sweet taste of these Chocolate Caramel Popcorn Balls, and they're so easy to eat. Great for parties for both kids and adults!

CHOCOLATE CARAMEL POPCORN BALLS
Makes 15 popcorn balls

Ingredients
2 Tbsp vegetable oil
1/2 cup popcorn kernels
pinch of salt
1/2 cup granulated sugar
1/2 cup brown sugar
1/2 cup honey
8 tbsp unsalted butter
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 cup Taza Roasted Cacao Nibs
2 bars Taza Dominican 70% Dark Stone Ground Chocolate, chopped
Wood skewers or popsicle sticks
Sprinkles, to garnish

Directions
Grease large mixing bowl with oil or kitchen spray. In large lidded pot with lid on, heat vegetable oil, popcorn, and pinch of salt over high heat while continuously shaking pot and listening for popping. Remove from heat when popping is less frequent than every 3 seconds and pour into greased bowl.

In saucepan combine sugar, brown sugar, honey, and butter over medium heat and cook, stirring constantly, until temperature reaches 300 degrees measured on a candy thermometer. Remove from heat and carefully add baking soda (be careful, the sugar will bubble and expand!), then pour over popcorn carefully using a spatula to toss and coat the popcorn. Add cacao nibs.

When popcorn is cool enough to handle, but still warm, wet hands and form popcorn into balls, sticking each one with skewers or popsicle sticks.

Place chocolate in heat proof bowl, then place on top of bowl of simmering water until chocolate is warm and melted then drizzle over popcorn balls. Top with sprinkles if desired. Allow to cool before serving.

Photo: Taza Chocolate

Colman's Mustard Spicy Chocolate Popcorn

Today is National Popcorn Day! I was at the Fancy Food Show last week in San Francisco, and I must say that Gourmet Popcorn was a definite trend this year with everything from Popcorn ice cream to popcorn with chocolate and pomegranate to blue popcorn for popcorn soup. You can buy all kinds of cool popcorn for Popcorn Day,  or you can make your own. Here's a great recipe from Colman's Mustard for Spicy Chocolate Popcorn. You might want to bookmark this recipe for your Academy Awards Viewing!

Colman's Mustard Spicy Chocolate Popcorn

Ingredients
1 bag buttered popcorn
1/2 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips (or chopped dark chocolate)
1/4 cup milk
2 tsp Colman's Mustard
1 Tbsp light Karo Syrup

Directions
Pop the popcorn according to package directions.
In small saucepan add chocolate chips and heat on low. Add milk and stir constantly until chocolate is melted and smooth. Add mustard and Karo syrup. Mix well.
Dump popcorn into bowl and pour chocolate mixture over popcorn.
Mix well and let sit until it cools.
Serve.

CHOCOLATE COVERED POPCORN DAY

Today is National Popcorn Day. Chocolate Covered Popcorn is simple to make. You can use dark or white chocolate--or both. Just drizzle some great melted chocolate over your air-popped Popcorn. Drizzle sparingly.

CHOCOLATE COVERED POPCORN

1. Make a bag of popcorn (buttered or plain) and pop it according to the directions. (airpopping!)

2. Put popped popcorn into large bowl or flat baking pan (for more even distribution).

3. Melt dark or white chocolate or both (in separate bowls) in top of double boiler (or in microwave).

4. Drizzle chocolate on popcorn. You can always add more chocolate, but you can't remove it, so use sparingly.