Cinnamon Red Hot Popcorn
10 cups of air-popped popcorn (1/2 cup unpopped)
1-1/2 cups (7 oz.) coarsely chopped pecans
3/4 cup sugar
3/4 cup brown sugar
1/2 cup light corn syrup
3 tablespoons hot pepper sauce
2 tablespoons honey
6 tablespoons unsalted butter, room temperature, cut into thin pats
1 tablespoon cinnamon
Yield: 18 cups
Heat oven to 250 degrees. Place popcorn and pecans in 5-quart
ovenproof bowl or Dutch oven. Bake 15 minutes.
Combine sugars, corn syrup, pepper sauce and honey in 2-quart
saucepan. Bring to a full boil over medium-high heat, stirring just
until sugars dissolve. Boil about 6 to 8 minutes or until soft-crack
stage (290 degrees on candy thermometer). Do not stir. Remove from
heat.
Gradually add butter and cinnamon to sugar mixture, stirring gently
until well blended. Pour over popcorn, tossing to coat evenly.
Spread popcorn mixture on greased baking sheets, using two forks.
Cool completely. Break into bite-size pieces. Store airtight up to
two weeks.
Note: If popcorn mixture sets too quickly, return to oven to
re-warm. Popcorn mixture can be shaped into 3-inch balls while warm,
if desired. |