Introduction: Experiments in Kettle Corn
Fresh kettle corn is super fantastic made by using the simple, top Google-result recipe below. The methodology was to use the basic recipe as a starting point and then look around the kitchen and think, "Maybe that would be good in kettle corn". From here, a series of kettle corn experiments were conducted which yielded 6 yummy variants, plus 2 that bombed (maybe you'll be able to do something with them).
Basic Kettle Corn Recipe
1/2 cup popcorn kernels
1/4 cup cane sugar
1/2 tsp sea salt
1/4 cup canola oil
Tools
Saucepan with lid
Wooden spoon (no exceptions!)
Baking sheet
Silicone mat
Safety First!
Precautions should be taken when working with melted sugar and/or hot oil. Make sure you have a clear working area, wooden utensils, kids and pets are not underfoot and any pan used has a lid that fits well. Kettle corn has the extra risk of hot-sugar covered projectiles, so be super-extra-careful!
Directions
Successful!
Mixing any one of the following into the sugar before adding it to the saucepan came out great!
Not so much...
These combos didn't go so well for me, but the concepts may work with some modifications.
Basic Kettle Corn Recipe
1/2 cup popcorn kernels
1/4 cup cane sugar
1/2 tsp sea salt
1/4 cup canola oil
Tools
Saucepan with lid
Wooden spoon (no exceptions!)
Baking sheet
Silicone mat
Safety First!
Precautions should be taken when working with melted sugar and/or hot oil. Make sure you have a clear working area, wooden utensils, kids and pets are not underfoot and any pan used has a lid that fits well. Kettle corn has the extra risk of hot-sugar covered projectiles, so be super-extra-careful!
Directions
- Pour oil and corn into saucepan
- Turn heat to medium-high until the first bubble appear
- Add sugar (plus any additional flavoring) and gently stir just a few times with the wooden spoon
- Cover pan with lid
- Turn heat to high
- Once the first kernels begin to pop, lightly shake saucepan - just enough to keep kernels moving
- When popping reaches the most rapid point, turn off heat completely
- Continue to shake pan until popping stops
- Pour out onto silicone mat and spread out with spoon
Successful!
Mixing any one of the following into the sugar before adding it to the saucepan came out great!
- Ginger - 3/4 tsp ground ginger
- Cocoa - 1 Tbs cocoa powder
- Pumpkin Pie - 2 tsp pumpkin pie spice
- Matcha - 1 1/2 tsp matcha powder
- Sweet and Spicy - 1/4 tsp ground cayanne pepper
- Honey Mustard - 1 Tbs honey, 2 tsp yellow mustard powder
Not so much...
These combos didn't go so well for me, but the concepts may work with some modifications.
- Thai - 1/4 tsp ginger, 1/8 tsp garlic, 1/8 tsp cayenne
- Gingerbread - 1/2 tsp cinnamon, 1/4 ginger, 1/8 tsp nutmeg, 1/8 tsp allspice, dash of cardamon
