"Hot Mess" Crazy Spicy & Nutty Popcorn
An Original Recipe by Lorraine Elliott
Preparation time: 15 minutes
Cooking time: 1 hour 10 minutes
- 1/4 cup popping corn
- 1 cup brown sugar
- 60g/2ozs. butter
- 1/4 cup maple syrup
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 1/4 teaspoon bicarb
- 2 cups mixed nuts, toasted (pecans, macadamias and peanuts)
- Cayenne pepper to taste
Step 1 - Place the popping corn in a paper bag and fold over 3-4 times. Pop on high for 2 minutes. Discard the unpopped kernels. Preheat oven to 120C/240F and line 2 trays with parchment.
Step 2 - Heat the sugar, butter and maple syrup in a saucepan and allow the butter to melt. Then increase heat and allow the mixture to reach 140C/284F. Add the salt and bicarb and stir and then mix with the popcorn and nuts coating them well with the caramel. Season with cayenne pepper to taste.
Step 3 - Using tongs or two spatulas (the caramel is hot so don't touch it with your bare hands), spread out onto the prepared trays and bake for 1 hour. Break up into smaller pieces and store in an airtight container.