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This hybrid snack combines sesame snaps and popcorn for a perfect movie treat.
Makes: 1 big bowl
INGREDIENTS:
2 tbsp groundnut (peanut) or coconut oil
100g popcorn kernels 300g granulated sugar
1 tsp fine sea salt
90g tahini
85g sesame seeds
METHOD:
To pop the corn on the hob, put the oil in a wide pan with a lid, alongside 4 of the popcorn kernels. Put the lid on the pan, turn the heat up to medium and wait for the kernels to pop. Turn the heat off, add the rest of the kernels to the pan and swirl the pan so they’re all coated with oil. Wait 30 seconds, then put the lid on and turn the heat back up to medium. When the corn starts popping, move the lid so it sits ever so slightly ajar.
When the popping slows and there are about 3 seconds between each pop, turn the heat off, and carefully transfer the popcorn to a big bowl, discarding any unpopped kernels (or they’ll be lethal once they’re coated with caramel). Give the pan a quick wipe so it’s ready to use again.
On the hob, but off the heat, put the sugar and 50ml water in the pan and stir to combine. Turn the heat up to medium under the pan and bring the sugar to a boil, swirling the pan so the sugar caramelizes evenly. Keep swirling intermittently; let the sugar boil away until it starts to change colour – about 8 minutes.
Swirl the pan and turn the heat down, so that the honey-coloured caramel just has small bubbles moving through it. Keep cooking and swirling until the caramel is a dark shade of amber – about 4 minutes. Turn the heat off.
Add the salt and tahini and stir through with a wooden spoon or heatproof spatula.
Moving quickly (but definitely not panicking), add the sesame seeds to the caramel, followed by the popped corn. Toss really well, scraping the caramel from the bottom of the pan and covering the popcorn as best you can. Spread the popcorn across two baking trays and leave it to cool.
Break up any clumps before serving.
Adapted from Carbs by Laura Goodman, Quadrille