Caramel Popcorn

Note – There are two ways to end the recipe – Some people just let the popcorn dry out at room temperature, and some bake in the oven for a short amount of time. I tried both, and decided it was purely up to preference. Leaving it at room temperature yields a more chewy, softer while not soggy popcorn. If you want a more crunchy popcorn, you could bake it for up to 30 minutes at a low temperature.

1. Preheat oven to 140 C[280 F], if you intend on baking it in the end, as mentioned in the above note.
2. In a large, dry pan with a lid, pour the oil and let it heat up over high heat. Toss in a few kernels of popcorn, and when they pop, the oil has heated enough, and you can pour in the rest of the kernels.
3. Cover with the lid immediately, and keep over high heat until popping has reduced to a few a minute. Give the entire pan a shake every minute or so, to ensure fewer unpopped kernels. This should take about 5 minutes. Transfer to a greased bowl big enough to toss all the popcorn into. Also grease two spatulas/wooden spoons, and lay out three baking sheets with parchment. If you are adding peanuts, add it to the popcorn now.
4. Now for the caramel. First mix together the salt, baking soda and cinnamon. Set aside.
5. Combine the butter, sugar and water in a large pan, the mixture should be no more than a 1/4 of the pan’s height. Let it boil over high heat until it reaches a deep amber color, between 10-15 minutes. The larger pan will make the caramel cook faster, and so, it will take less time than mentioned above.
6. Take it off the heat, pour in the baking soda mixture, and give it a few stirs. The caramel will lighten in color, and foam up. Immediately pour it over the popcorn, working quickly. Toss the popcorn using the two spoons, until it is evenly coated.
7. Lay it onto the waiting baking sheets, in a more or less single layer. Either let cool at room temperature, or pop into the oven, stirring every 10 minutes for up to 30 minutes. Once cool, store in an airtight container.