Tag Archives: light corn syrup

Coconut-Almond Popcorn Balls

Dessert, Recipes, Snacks 2 Comments

Another tasty popcorn recipe! This coconut- almond recipe has some of the same ingredients as the Mexican Chocolate Popcorn Balls and is just as delicious! Coconut is one of my favorite flavors!

Coconut-Almond Popcorn Balls

Adapted from Food Network.com

Ingredients

  • 1/4 cup light corn syrup
  • 2 tablespoons vegan butter (Earth Balance)
  • 1 cupconfectioners’ sugar
  • 1 cup mini marshmallows
  • 1 tablespoon water
  • 1/2 teaspoon almond extract
  • A pinch of salt
  • 12 cups popped popcorn until coated
  • Toasted shredded coconut
  1. Bring corn syrup, vegan butter, cup confectioners’ sugar, mini marshmallows and water to a boil in a large pot over medium heat, stirring.
  2. Add almond extract and a pinch of salt.
  3. Remove from the heat; using a rubber spatula.
  4. Stir in popcorn until coated.
  5. Butter your hands, then shape into balls
  6. Roll popcorn balls in toasted shredded coconut.
Don’t want to make popcorn balls? No problem. Instead of rolling the popcorn mixture into balls, spread out onto a baking pan and sprinkle shredded coconut on top. If your coconut it not already toasted, preheat your oven to 350ºF and place popcorn mixture with coconut on top into the oven until the coconut is a nice light brown.

Kwegyirba Croffie is a freelance Associate Producer at News 12 Connecticut and a Special Events/Event Planning and Social Media Intern at College Lifestyles (TM). She is a Quinnipiac University alumni and a sister of Alpha Delta Pi. She enjoy cupcakes,Broadway musicals, Forever 21 ,giraffes, peacock feathers, orchids, lillies and anything Disney. 

Mexican Chocolate Popcorn Balls

Basics, Dessert, Recipes, Snacks 2 Comments

Food Network has great snack recipes that are easily adaptable to be gluten free/dairy free! The other day, I came across some great popcorn recipes and I thought HEY! I’ll do a little popcorn series! It first started with the Peanut Maple Popcorn. Today – Mexican Chocolate Popcorn Balls! Movie night snacks will never be the same!

Mexican Chocolate Popcorn Balls

Adapted from Food Network.com

Making these will be sticky but worth it! The mix of chocolate and spices is great!

Ingredients

  • 1/4 cup light corn syrup
  • 2 tablespoons vegan butter (Earth Balance)
  • 1 cupconfectioners’ sugar
  • 2 cups mini marshmallows
  • 2 tablespoons unsweetened cocoa powder (Hershey’s is great – you can use Toll House as well but I like Hershey’s cocoa powder way better)
  • 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
  • 1/4 teaspoon nutmeg
  • 1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper
  • 1 tablespoon water
  • 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
  • Pinch of salt.
  • 12 cups popcorn – popped (I suggest using a natural or light butter popcorn or even Kettle corn (my personal favorite) )
  • Cinnamon Sugar for rolling
  1. Bring corn syrup, butter, sugar, 1 cup mini marshmallows, cocoa powder, cinnamon, nutmeg and cayenne pepper, and water to a boil in a large pot over medium heat, stirring.
  2. Add vanilla and a pinch of salt.
  3. Remove from the heat; using a rubber spatula, stir in popcorn and 1 more cup of mini marshmallows.
  4. Now for the fun and sticky part – yes it will be sticky! Butter your hands, and shape mixture into balls.
  5. Roll formed balls in cinnamon sugar.

Who said popcorn balls were boring!?! ENJOY!

Chocolate Peanut Butter Popcorn Brittle

Dessert, Recipes, Snacks 1 Comment

One bite of this crunchy chocolatey peanut butter popcorn brittle and you’ll be itching to make more! Popcorn, caramel, M & Ms are the perfect combination!

Chocolate Peanut Butter Popcorn Brittle 

  • 1 bag microwave popcorn
  • 1 cup M&Ms
  • 1-1/2 cups firmly packed brown sugar
  • 1/2 cup unsalted butter – Earth Balance
  • 1/2 cup light corn syrup
  • 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • 1 cup lightly salted peanuts
  • 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
  1. Prepare popcorn according to package directions. Remove all unpopped kernels. Spread popped corn evenly in 15×10-inch nonstick shallow baking pan. Sprinkle evenly with M&M’s; set aside.
  2. Place sugar, butter, corn syrup and vanilla in medium heavy saucepan. Bring to a boil over high heat. Reduce heat to medium-high and cook 3 minutes, stirring constantly with wooden spoon. Add peanuts. Cook an additional 2 minutes or to the hard-crack stage, stirring constantly. Remove from heat. Add baking soda and mix well. Note: Hard-crack stage, 300 to 310°F on a candy thermometer, is when a small amount of boiling sugar syrup, dropped into very cold water, separates into hard brittle threads.
  3. Immediately pour caramel mixture evenly over popped corn and candy until coated. Do not stir. Let stand 30 minutes or until caramel has cooled and hardened.
  4. Break into pieces.