I guess we all love popcorn on a Sunday afternoon, watching a movie, but why not make the ultimate popcorn snack?!! This crispy popcorn covered with a caramel coating is so easy to make and so much better than regular popcorn. But before telling you the recipe I have to warn you that this recipe requires you to work with very hot melted sugar so handle it with care, don’t let kids close to you and stay focused all the time. The slightest touch will burn your skin so be careful!! I don’t mean to scare you off, but I prefer being safe than sorry.

Ingredients:

• 1/2 cup yellow popcorn
• 3 tablespoons vegetable oil to cook it
• For the honeycomb you will need:
• 1 1/2 cup white sugar
• 1/2 cup water
• 2 tablespoons honey
• 2/3 teaspoons salt
• 2/3 teaspoons baking soda

First of all you will need a saucepan big enough to fit your popcorn popcorn. Heat up the oil, add the yellow popcorn, cover it with a lid and watch!! (or listen :P). How to tell when it’s done? Well, it will stop making any sounds, it stops popping. Remove the pan from heat and transfer the popcorn into a bowl. I recommend you use either a stainless steel bowl or a heatproof glass bowl. Also, slightly spread a bit of oil on the bowl before using it. This way the honeycomb won’t stick to the sides of the bowl when you’ll fold it into the popcorn.

Before starting to make the honeycomb, line a pan with parchament paper. You will use it in a moment, be patient 😛
To make the honeycomb, mix the sugar, with the rest of the ingredients, minus the baking soda, in a big saucepan. Bring everything to a boil, then let it simmer at medium heat until it starts to change color (it will take a while, but stay close to the pot..it can go from slighly caramelized to burnt into seconds). When the caramel has the color you are looking for (nice and golden), add the baking soda and mix quickly. Once you add the soda and mix, the caramel will foam up, so work fast and be careful not to touch it!!
Pour the caramel over the popcorn and give it a quick yet careful mix. Make sure every single kernel is covered in caramel. Transfer everything from the bowl to the lined pan I mentioned above. Spread the popcorn evenly and allow it to cool down and set. If you want, at this point you can use other different flavours like cinnamon powder which you can just sprinkle over the honeycomb coating.

 ROMANIAN!

E o potrivire perfecta intre popcornul crocant si caramelul usor sarat cu si mai multa crocanteala…O potrivire care ma bantuie de ceva timp si careia i-a venit sorocul azi. Insa inainte de toate, trebuie sa va avertizez ca lucrul cu zahar topit nu e usor. E extrem de fierbinte si orice atingere poate lasa urme. De asemenea, nu lasati copiii in apropiere si stati mereu cu ochii pe caramel. Cu speranta ca nu v-am speriat, iata si reteta.

Ingrediente:
1/2 cana popcorn
3 linguri ulei
Pentru honeycomb/caramel aveti nevoie de:
1 1/2 cana zahar
1/2 cana apa
2 linguri miere
2/3 lingurita sare
2/3 lingurita bicarbonat de sodiu

In primul rand pregatiti popcornul. Incingeti 3 linguri de ulei intr-o oala incapatoare cu fund mai gros. Adaugati semintele, acoperiti si lasati-le sa pocneasca. Cand popcornul e gata, puneti-l intr-un vas (de inox sau sticla termorezistenta) pe care l-ati uns cu putin ulei in prealabil. Tot acum pregatiti si o tava mare, pe care o acoperiti cu hartie de copt.

Pentru honeycomb/caramel amestecati toate ingredientele, mai putin bicarbonatul, intr-un vas incapator. Puneti pe foc si lasati sa fiarba la foc mediu spre mare pana incepe sa-si schimbe culoarea. Cand are culoarea caramel pe care o doriti, dati deoparte si puneti bicarbonatul de sodiu. Amestecati repede, insa cu grija deoarece se va umfla foarte mult. Turnati caramelul asta peste popcorn, amestecati cu grija pana toate boabele sunt acoperite, apoi intindeti popcornul in tava acoperita cu hartie de copt. Daca doriti acum puteti adauga si alte arome, precum un praf de scortisoara daca va place, ori poate ghimbir. Lasati sa se raceasca si serviti cu pofta in fata televizorului sau vizionand filmul preferat. E delicios! 🙂

Making the honeycomb