I was watching the 2010 Academy Awards. Of course one of the benefits of working from home is the ability to camp yourself in front of the television popcorn at the ready and taking in the important bits – you know, the red carpet. I was delighted to see Jack Donaghy hosting (yes I know his name is Alec Baldwin but he’ll always be my TV husband Jack Donaghy) and that it would start with red carpet interviews.
The dresses were of course gorgeously couture and because it’s the Oscars no-one goes quite as mad or edgy as they do at the Emmy’s or Golden Globes. Sadly there was no Bjork and I don’t think Bai Ling scores an invite and I’ve read Pamela Anderson is banned after her last drunk escapade (and yes I avidly read trashy mags, it’s my guilty pleasure).
Vera Farmiga (photo from www.smh.com.au)
Zoe Saldana (photo from www.smh.com.au)
I grabbed a few kernels of popcorn and held them in my hand . A thought struck me as I stared at the flamboyant pleating of Vera Farmiga’s dress, the pale pink of Anna Kendrick’s dress and the pompom detailing on the hem of Zoe Saldana’s dress and the rosette detailing on Charlize Theron’s dress. I could make a pink popcorn ball shaped like a pomander! I’m sure that’s not what the designers had in mind but before I could debate the pros and cons, I was heating butter, chocolate and marshmallows in a saucepan and hoping that it would all work. I had seen similar things on blogs where they used popcorn instead of rice bubbles to make crispy popcorn treats so I had an inkling that it might work.
Charlize Theron (photo from www.smh.com.au)
Anna Kendrick (photo from www.smh.com.au)
Pomanders of course are aromatics balls that are hung in cupboards to give clothes a nice smell and whilst I don’t recommend putting these in the cupboard, they do have a heavenly scent. The taste of these is sweet and rich. The popcorn isn’t crispy though but it is moreish and rich and caramelly. I love the slight stickiness of the marshmallow and the sweetness from it combined with the white chocolate. I brought it over to share with my parents and even my mother who doesn’t like popcorn finished a huge ball all to herself!
So tell me Dear Readers, what are your thoughts on this year’s Oscars? Any surprises? Any red carpet wins or fails?
Pink Popcorn Pomanders
An Original Recipe by Not Quite Nigella
Makes 10-14 depending on size
- 1 cup popping corn
- 5 tablespoons oil
- 500 g/1pound pink and white marshmallows
- 200 g/7 ozs. white chocolate
- 60 g/2ozs butter
- 1 teaspoon vanilla bean paste or vanilla extract
- a few drops pink or red food colouring (optional)
- Sugar flowers to decorate
- pink ribbon cut into 15cms lengths or wooden disposable chopsticks
- oil to grease hands
- 30 g/1 oz. white chocolate
1. Heat oil in a large frying pan or saucepan and test out one kernal. If it spins in the oil then it is ready. Place the rest of the popcorn in the frypan and keep shaking the pan until the popping slows down.
2. In another large heavy based saucepan, heat the butter and chocolate until the chocolate has melted. Add the marshmallows and stir until completely melted. Add a few drops of food colouring here if you’d like.
No, more melted than this-we want marshmallow lava. Yum marshmallow lava….*drools*
3. Place 10 cups of the popcorn (you can do it in 2-3 lots to make it easier) and mix until the popcorn is coated. Cool for a few minutes. Oil a baking sheet and then grease your hands and shape it into balls. Take a knife and slice a little slit in the centre to place the ribbon. Melt the chocolate and spread a little on the end of the ribbon that has bee folded over. Place in the slit and sit balls on the oiled baking sheet and leave to set. You may have to reshape the ball if it comes loose.
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86 Comments | Add your own
Gorgeous! I absolutely love the idea. In addition to an Oscar party, I think those would be perfect for a girl’s baby shower.
What a fitting snack! I’ve had these kind of popcorn balls before. I remember making them in school, but they were never this pretty.
As for fashion, I found most of the clothes this year pretty disappointing. Nothing really sticks in my head as being special or memorable.
*kisses* HH
That pink dress Vera Farmiga wore is absolutely fabulous. Cute pomanders. I can see them on a Christmas tree.
Unfortunately, I didn’t watch the Oscars this year but OMG is Vera’s dress fabulous!
Those are so pretty! I love the idea!
Cheers,
Rosa
i’m also in love with vera’s dress. i rarely watch the oscars, although i did watch bits of the red carpet and the opening this year. i love those pomanders. they are so pretty!
Of course I love them. They’re pink.
These are so pretty! I have to make something for a little wedding morning tea at work Thursday – I may make these!
Thanks
Inspired! I was pretty much oblivious of the Oscars this year although I did like Kathryn Bigelow’s outfit.
*laughs* I so love that you were inspired by dresses to make sugary treats that the women wearing them probably haven’t eaten in years
It’s so much better being a spectator…
I have been without TV for months, but kept in touch with the red carpet through gofugyourself. I have to say, Zoe’s was pretty awful in my mind!
Oh my, they are fabulous! SO stealing that
these are so cute… and they will be perfect for a girly birthday party or get together. Like the vibrant pink . Did you tie the ribbon in the bottom to get a knot to build on the ball, love this idea…….
Didn’t watch the award, and those pink things are a little scary!
I like all the dresses…and the funny thing is while I was scrolling down your page, I kept thinking, how you made the popcorns….I am not into popcorns, but will definitely try this one and share with my little niece and nephew
You know, these would look lovely as wedding bombonnieres! Retro and girly all at once =)
Oooh they are adorable! I love the vibrant colour!
So sweet!!!! I think I’m going to make this at my niece’s birthday party. It is not for a while but I think little girls would LOVE this! Too cute.
I don’t know how you come up with this stuff!
awwww so pretty!!!
very cute- I can just see little flower girls carrying these and nibbling them throughout the day
these are very cute lorraine and im loving the molten marshmallow lava pic hehe
Aww these are gorgeous! I loved that this idea popped into your head after seeing all the dresses
It certainly wouldn’t pop into mine! Hehe. I loved Zoe Saldana’s dress 
These are so pretty. Great idea, Lorraine. I didn’t get to see the Oscars this year, but I love how you were inspired by the fashion to make these pink ball lovelies.
I didn’t know where to look first – the dresses or the pomanders!!
The dresses were mixed – I did love Cameron Diaz, possibly the first time I’ve really, really had a ‘wow’ moment over a celebrity dress in ages.
But I am now looking at the pomanders again – white chocolate, marshmallows, popcorn – the new macaron perhaps?
SSG xxx
Adorable – you’re a genius Lorraine!!
These are adorable! I didn’t watch the Oscars, but I had hoped that Colin Firth would win best actor for A Single Man.
Beautiful!
This is something I could make for my niece’s birthday, Thanks
Oh how cute. So pink and perfect. I bet they taste good too. I love awards night. I always tell everyone at work not to talk about it so I can go home and watch it all. ehehe
I was watching the “fashion” discussion a day later. They said Charleze Theron was wearing cinnabons. And, now I know why you gave her three pictures. So if the dress looks like food, we like it right?
OOH AAAH
LA LA LA
Love these – I can think of lots of uses for these little pretties!
Girls parties (big and little girls) Breast Cancer fundraisers
wow you inspire me daily thanks Lorraine
MUST make for my daughter. AS for the gowns – pretty but nothing popped for me.
These are amazing.. I can visualize using them on so many occasions… you are really letting your crafty mojo work its magic!
this post is full of glamour!
Those are absolutely gorgeous, Lorraine! I LOVE popcorn balls, but yours are the prettiest I’ve ever seen..such a vibrant shade of hot pink (the color of my prom dress..seriously lol)!
On another note..I didn’t really flip over Vera’s dress. I felt it was way too much ruffle and frill and sort of overwhelmed her – tai\king away from her pretty face and updo.
So pretty! And a treat to eat as well
Lorraine these are fantastic! You are very clever!!
Those are adorable, I love how pink they are! I was watching the red carpet too, though I thought Charlize Theron’s dress looked like it was trying to grab her boobs haha! Loved Nicole Richie’s dress.
Gosh, Lorraine, these look fantastic!! What a great thing to make for a little girl’s party or a wedding shower. Well done!
My mum made red and green popcorn balls every year for Christmas. Of course her’s were never as elegantly dressed as yours! xoxo Mum
how adorable are the popcorns! probably perfect for watching the oscars and those wild dresses. I love the colour(of the popcorn)^.^
Omigosh, your pomanders are beautiful! Imagine if the Oscars attendees (ie. the ladies) each carried one
I love seeing the dresses and thought Maggie Gyllenhaal’s was lovely. And isn’t it funny/annoying how some people always turn up even when they have nothing to do with the movies (hello, JLo!).
Wow, these are so inspired, Lorraine! Definitely a red carpet worthy little treat.
wow! I can think of so many uses-perfect wedding giveaway, a modern verson of a crosage. I’m sure my prom date wouldve loved it…..and eaten it on the spot which would mean I’d need a backup!! LOL
Gorgeous!!
These are lovely and the color as incongruous as it should be for popcorn,looks just right.
You did a great job.
These are divine! I’ll be making them for cherub number 2′s first birthday- although she wont be able to eat them the rest of us will love them! I can never get past Gwenyth’s speech for Shakespeare in Love, and in the days before the Man and the cherubs it wasn’t unusual for my friends and I to do our own versions, after a few sherberts!
Cute!!! That’s creativity for you: fashion-inspired food!
OMG..I am in love! How cute are these? I love the glitz of the Oscars, and for some reason I always respond by buying a lipstick the next day,as though that will glam me up and make me look like a movie star…sad really!
Great idea – would have been perfect for the Oscars, as I’ll bet they were all starving too (but then again, some of those people were sewn into those dresses, who would dare to eat?).
Charlize Theron’s dress – what were they thinking? A rose over each breast??
So coincidence! I did popcorn too, but mine is caramel..Love yours with pinky colour, look so sweet..
They’re so pink! Very fashionable.
Pomanders fit for a little princess! These are beautiful – I’ll definitely be making these as favours for M’s birthday party (OK, it’s not for another 6 months, but such things take a little planning)! xxx
what a lovely idea.
my friends and i were just talking about these simple treats – those that are stuck together by honey/marshmallows.
my girlfriend did the usual cornflakes with honey combo.
this is really different!
love it.
What a gorgeous creation! I love this idea!
Oscar’s what Oscar’s?? the real stars are your Pink Popcorn Pomanders what a great idea Lorraine
Looks amazing,the color is so bright.
Pretty! I must admit this year’s Oscars totally passed me by. I couldn’t tell you who won anything or who wore what. Will catch up on it next time I’m reading the mags at my doctor’s I guess
Perfect for a baby shower! very cute, although I imagine almost sickly sweet? Looks a little too much for me. And on oscars dresses- Vera’s= amazing. Charlize= foul! what was she thinking with one on each boob?
Must. Make. Immediately.
It is an acceptable dinner, right?
I love the gorgeous pink hue, these look too pretty to eat!
Oh my gosh they are so adorable. And I love that shade of pink. I love where you take your inspiration from!
Cute as! Gorgeous idea! Thought the Oscars were a bit of a yawn this year though.
the preshow is definitely my favorite part of any awards show–i love checking out the dresses and hearing the inane questions posed by the interviewers. your popcorn is indeed inspired and nicely executed!
Goodness! That’s original and as usual, your goodies are so colourful and pleasant to the eye (and tummy too I’m sure)!
You know what? I don’t like popcorn. I’m not a big fan of pink coloured items either. But I’d love to taste your pink popcorn rith away!
I confess: I read those trashy mags too…in the hairdressers!
Fun roundup of Oscar gowns.
Love your pomander balls. I’ll remember these for Valentine’s Day!
I love drooling over Kate Winslet at the Oscars – she could wear a potato sack and still look beautiful!
Melted marshmallows are out of this world. The pomanders look so cute, they really came together well!
Hi NQN,
I recently cooked your caramel nut popcorn and it was really delicious. I am embarrassed to admit it took me three tries to get it right. I had forgotten how to make popcorn and kept on burning it. And because I burned the popcorn, I also burned the caramel because it sat on the stove for too long. I wish you had posted this up earlier. I can’t wait to try the pink popcorn pomanders .
Awww, that’s tooo pretty. I think you could start a trend with brides-to-be! Imagine all the different pretty colours they could come in, with matching pale ribbons…
Anyway! I reaaalllyyy loved Maggie Gyllenhal’s dress. And as much as I don’t fancy her, I liked Kirsten Stewart’s too!
Mmh, what a unique idea! these’d be lovely for a wee girl’s (or not so wee
) party 
How cute, Lorraine. I gotta try make this for the other half because she loves marshmallows.
This is a super great idea! SUPER.Gosh… what a lovely movie night idea.
You know you are my kind of girl! (said with no sexual innuendo whatsover!)
I love your creative, whimsical, and party-hungry mind!
Great popcorn ball.
By the way, Elie Saab, a famous Lebanese designer outfitted some of these ladies again this year.
WOW sooo making these for my daughters 13th – since we are having a pink limo tour followed by a sleepover – these divine pomanders are now an essential part of the pink festivities. Thank you for this idea and all your other amazing & inspiring delights!
What an awesome (and oh so pretty) idea!!! Will definitely be trying this one soon!
Brilliant! The most couture popcorn I have ever seen. They should serve these at red carpet events. Quick, trademark your popcorn pomanders!
These are really pretty! I wish I could pop one, make that a few, in my mouth right now!!!
These are adorable!
As for the fashion I love Zoe Saldana – always have always will. I actually really loved Miley Cyrus’ dress, she looked stunning!
I’m amazed at how your mind goes from watching the oscars fashion to pink popcorn balls! =D
Very creative and novel of you. These remind me of little purses that brides carry around at weddings.
another amazing creation – just love these – would be just the thing to decorate a table with on valentines day and I love the deep rich colour – just my sort of thing
Oh, these are beautiful, NQN! I love the idea of them and I absolutely adore the pinkness of them!
These are wonderful – you are so creative! This year I thought Kate Winslet and Mo’nique both looked beautiful.
I must say, at this moment, you are truly my hero. I have been craving popcorn everything lately, and this looks like something i would def do!
WONDERFUL JOB!
Oh my goodness! those are adorable!!!
Those are so much fun! I would love this for a favor. I just came across your blog and it’s fantastic. I would love to link to this post in an upcoming Favor Roundup if you didn’t mind.
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