CHOCOLATE COVERED CARAMEL CORN
6 quarts lightly salted popped popcorn
1 cup butter or margarine
2 cups brown sugar
1/2 cup light corn syrup
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon vanilla
2 to 3 bags (6 ounces each) Ghiradelli milk chocolate chips
Preheat oven to 250 degrees F. Coat the bottom and sides of a large roasting pan with nonstick cooking spray.
Place popped popcorn in the prepared pan.
In a heavy pan on the stove top, slowly melt butter, stir in the brown sugar and corn syrup and heat to a boil, stirring constantly. Boil without stirring for 5 minutes.
Remove from heat; stir in baking soda and vanilla. Gradually pour over the popcorn, mixing well.
Bake for 1 hour, stirring every 15 minutes.
Meanwhile, melt the chocolate chips in a double boiler. Immediately after baking the popcorn, pour melted chocolate over popcorn, coating well.
Spread popcorn out onto aluminum foil until hardened, then store in a tightly covered container.
Makes about 6 quarts
Source: Patrice Calabrese of Buffalo, winner of the Ghiradelli Chocolate Championship, America's Fair, Western NY, 2006 |