Barebonesmolassespopcornballs Recipes

Steps:

• Place popcorn in a large bowl, with room for mixing. Fill another bowl with ice water. Butter several plates, one per each person who will be pulling taffy.
• Combine sugar, corn syrup, molasses, water, butter, and salt in a large 6-quart saucepan over medium heat; attach a candy thermometer. Bring to a boil, stirring frequently. Tip the pan slightly to melt the sugar crystals on the sides, scraping down with a wooden spoon. Heat until the mixture registers 300 to 310 degrees F (149 to 155 degrees C) on the thermometer or until a small amount of syrup drizzled into cold water turns hard, 7 to 10 minutes.
• Pour about 1 cup syrup onto each buttered plate. Let cool until safe to handle like a hot potato, 3 to 5 minutes. Pull syrup between your hands until a light golden brown color is achieved; the longer you pull it, the lighter it becomes. Twist into a long rope about 3/4-inch thick and place on back on a buttered plate to let taffy harden and cool. Break the hardened taffy apart.
• Pour the remaining hot syrup carefully over popcorn, while someone else quickly stirs the batch. Butter your hands and dip them in the ice water; working quickly to avoid burns and before taffy hardens, grab some of the popcorn mixture and form into a 3-inch ball. Repeat with the remaining popcorn.

Steps:

• Combine molasses and sugar in a saucepan.
• Grease a large mixing bowl and put in popped popcorn. Grease a mixing spoon. Set aside.
• Combine molasses and sugar in a saucepan. Stirring constantly, heat over medium-high heat until just about boiling.
• Pour over popcorn and mix well. Add peanuts if desired at this point.
• Let cool a little (take the kids to wash their hands - that will take just the right amount of time!).
• Press popcorn into balls. (Kids love this!).
• Eat what sticks on your hands.

Steps:

• Combine the popcorn and cocoa nibs in a very large mixing bowl. Make sure to remove any unpopped kernels.
• Combine the corn syrup, sugar, molasses, water, salt, and vanilla in a 3 1/2-quart saucepan and put it over medium heat. Cover and bring to boil, about 2 to 3 minutes. Remove the lid and clip on a candy thermometer. Continue to cook until the mixture reaches 250 degrees F. Take the pan off the heat, remove the candy thermometer and immediately pour the mixture over the popcorn. Stir to coat the popcorn evenly. Cool until the mixture can be handled safely, about 2 to 3 minutes.
• Using a large ice cream disher, scoop the popcorn mixture into 3-inch rounds onto a parchment lined half sheet pan, smoothing with buttered hands as needed. Cool completely. Wrap individually in plastic wrap or put them in an airtight container. Store for up to 2 days.
• Put the oil, popcorn and salt in a large, 6-quart, metal mixing bowl. Cover with heavy-duty aluminum foil and poke 10 slits in the top with a knife. Put the bowl over medium heat and shake constantly using tongs to hold the bowl. Continue shaking until the popcorn finishes popping, approximately 3 minutes. Remove the bowl from the heat and carefully remove the foil. Stir in any salt that is on the side of the bowl. Melt the butter in the microwave. Slowly drizzle over the popcorn, while spinning the bowl. Serve immediately.

Steps:

• In a big bowl, combine the popcorn and 11/4 cups each of the peanut butter chips and chocolate chips. Toss to distribute evenly.
• In a medium saucepan over low heat, melt the butter, sugar, corn syrup and marshmallows, stirring constantly to keep the mixture from burning.
• When the sugar mixture boils, pour it over the popcorn mixture and stir to evenly coat, then quickly but gently form balls in the size you like. Place them in small bowls or the wells of a muffin tin that have been lightly coated with cooking spray so they hold their shape as they cool. Pretend you?re making snowballs but don?t pack them too hard.
• In two separate small saucepans over low heat, melt the remaining 1/2 cup each peanut butter chips and milk chocolate chips (or microwave in two small bowls) and drizzle the two over the cooled popcorn balls.

Steps:

• Line a large baking sheet/s with waxed paper.
• Place the popped popcorn into a large heat-proof bowl.
• In a saucepan over medium heat combine the corn syrup, butter or margarine, cold water, 2-1/2 cups plus 2 tablespoons confectioners sugar and marshmallows; heat and stir until the mixture comes to a boil; remove from heat then carefully pour the hot mixture in with the popped popcorn.
• Mix with a wooden spoon to combine, carefully coating each kernel.
• Grease your hands with vegetable shortening.
• Working as quickly as possible shape the coated popcorn mixture into balls.
• Make certain that the balls are completely cooled then wrap each ball with cellophane or plastic wrap and store at room temperature (use coloured wrap for the holidays).
• Place on a baking sheet.

Steps:

• Add 1 tablespoon of the oil to a 4 quart saucepan, and heat over high heat. When oil is hot, add 1/2 cup of popping corn. Keep pan moving constantly. When corn stops popping, remove from heat. Repeat until all corn has been popped. Place popped corn into a buttered bowl.
• In 2 quart saucepan, melt butter. Stir in sugar, molasses, and salt. Insert a candy thermometer in saucepan and boil sugar mixture on medium heat until the thermometer reads 260 degrees F(126 degrees C).
• Pour syrup over corn, while stirring popcorn thoroughly. Butter hands lightly. Shape popcorn into 12 to 14 balls.

Steps:

• Place popcorn in a large bowl and set aside. In a large heavy saucepan, combine molasses, sugar, water, vinegar and butter. Cook, without stirring, over medium heat until mixture reaches 235° on a candy thermometer (soft-ball stage). Add baking soda and stir well. , Remove from heat and immediately pour over popcorn, stirring gently with a wooden spoon until well coated. When cool enough to handle, quickly shape into 3-in. balls, dipping hands in cool water to prevent the syrup from sticking.

Steps:

• Place popcorn in a baking pan and keep warm in a 200° oven. Meanwhile, in a large saucepan, stir together the sugar, corn syrup, water, butter and salt. Cook over medium heat, stirring constantly, until mixture comes to a boil. , Continue cooking without stirring until the temperature reaches 270° on a candy thermometer. Remove from the heat. Add vanilla; stir just enough to mix. Slowly pour over the popcorn. Cool just enough to handle. Shape with buttered hands.