Butter Pecan Popcorn

I knew I wanted a real butter-toffee-pecan flavor, so I just pulled out my trusty butter toffee recipe from eons ago and adapted it for this. Cooking the butter mixture for a longer period over lower heat than most recipes allowed me to get a much deeper butter flavor.

Ingredients:

10 cups popped popcorn (I did mine in my popcorn popper, but I’m sure microwave popcorn would work just fine)

1 cup chopped pecans

½ cup (1 stick) real butter

½ cup white granulated sugar

1 ½ Tablespoons water

2 teaspoons light corn syrup

¼ teaspoon salt

Directions: Line 2 baking sheets with Silpats, if you have them, or grease them well.

Put the popcorn into a very large mixing bowl (I spray the sides of my largest metal bowl with cooking spray to help eliminate sticking. Put the pecans on top (you’ll mix together later).

In a medium saucepan, melt the butter. Add the sugar, water, corn syrup and salt. Cook and stir over medium low to medium heat until boiling. Clip on a candy thermometer and cook to 275-280 degrees F, stirring occasionally. The butter will be golden brown at this point. Working quickly pour the hot syrup over the popcorn and nuts with one hand while stirring with the other. I know, it’s tricky—if you have someone to hold the bowl and stir, it works much better. Just make sure that nobody gets the hot syrup on their hands! It is hot sugar and it will burn. Stir, stir, stir until everything is just lightly coated.

Pour the popcorn mixture out onto your baking sheets to cool. Eat the whole shebang at once or put in an airtight container. Do not refrigerate---it will just be one big clump later on.