From sweet to savory
Add more pep to your popcorn with these recipes
Flavored popcorn was a thing maybe five years ago. People served it at parties. Bars offered it for free for a little while, and then they started selling it in little paper bags.
Why did people stop making flavored popcorn and go on to other forgotten fads, such as unicorn ice cream, acai berries and rainbow bagels?
Eager to rectify the problem, I have recently been making more than my share of flavored popcorn. It’s time to get the fad going again.
MAPLE-BOURBON POPCORN
3 T. butter
1 T. brown sugar
3 T. bourbon
1/4 c. maple syrup
12 c. popped popcorn
1/4 t. salt, or to taste
Preheat oven to 250 degrees. Line a baking sheet with waxed paper and set aside.
Melt butter in a small saucepan over medium-high heat. Add brown sugar and cook, stirring frequently, until sugar dissolves. Add bourbon; it should boil immediately. Simmer, stirring frequently, 2 to 3 minutes. Stir in maple syrup and cook until somewhat thickened.
Pour mixture over popcorn and toss with salt. Taste and add more salt if needed. Makes 5 servings.
(Recipe by Daniel Neman.)
CURRY POPCORN
4T.( 1/2 stick) butter
1 c. golden raisins
1 c. shelled pistachios
1 1/2 T. granulated sugar
1/2 T. curry powder
8 c. hot popcorn 1 t. kosher salt
Melt butter in a saucepan over low heat. Add raisins, pistachios, sugar and curry powder, and cook 2 minutes. Toss with popcorn and salt. Makes 6 servings.
(Recipe by the Food Network.)
PEANUT BUTTER POPCORN
1/2 c. honey
1/4 c. plus 2 T. granulated sugar
1/2 c. peanut butter
1/2 t. vanilla extract
1/2 t. salt
8 c. hot popcorn
1 c. peanuts
Line a baking sheet with a piece of waxed paper and set aside. Heat honey and sugar over medium heat, stirring until the sugar dissolves, about 3 or 4 minutes. Stir in peanut butter, vanilla extract and salt until smooth. Pour over hot popcorn and peanuts, and toss. Spread on prepared baking sheet; taste and add more salt if necessary. Let cool. Makes 6 servings.
(Recipe by the Food Network.)
DARK/WHITE CHOCOLATE POPCORN
4 oz. semisweet chocolate, chopped
4 oz. white chocolate, chopped
12 c. popcorn, divided Salt, to taste
Set up a double boiler or place a heatproof bowl over a saucepan of simmering water; making sure the bowl does not touch the water. Add semisweet chocolate and stir until melted and smooth. Toss with 6 cups of popcorn, and salt to taste.
Repeat process with the white chocolate. Combine all popcorn in a large bowl to serve. Makes 8 servings.
(Recipe by Daniel Neman.)
SPICED POPCORN
1/2 t. cayenne pepper
1/2 t. ground cumin
1/2 t. turmeric
1 t. cracked black
peppercorns
1 t. salt
1/4 c. vegetable oil
1/2 c. unpopped popcorn
Measure cayenne, cumin, turmeric, cracked peppercorns and salt onto a plate and place near stove.
Place oil and one kernel popcorn in a large pot on a burner. Turn heat to high, cover pot and cook until kernel pops. Then add popcorn and cover again (be careful not to breathe the fumes before covering). When corn starts popping, quickly add spices. Cover and cook, shaking constantly, until the popping stops. Makes 6 servings.
CINNAMON SUGAR POPCORN
3/4 t. cinnamon
2 T. plus 1 t. granulated sugar
1/2 t. salt
4T.( 1/2 stick) butter
12 c. hot popcorn
Mix together the cinnamon, sugar and salt, and set aside. Melt the butter in a small saucepan and pour over popcorn. Toss thoroughly with cinnamon-sugar-salt mixture. Makes 6 servings.
(Recipe by Daniel Neman.)
PARMESAN AND CHIPOTLE POPCORN
1 bag microwave popcorn
4T.( 1/2 stick) butter, melted
1/2 c. finely grated Parmesan cheese
1/2 t. ground chipotle pepper
2 t. fleur de sel or other salt
Microwave the popcorn according to directions on the package, until the popcorn stops popping. Carefully pour the hot popcorn into a large bowl and immediately pour on the butter, then the Parmesan cheese, ground chipotle pepper and salt. Toss well and serve hot. Makes 3 servings.
(Recipe from “Cooking for Jeffrey” by Ina Garten.)
OLD BAY POPCORN
4 T. butter
2 T. Old Bay Seasoning
12 c. hot popcorn
Melt butter with Old Bay in a small skillet over medium heat. Drizzle over popcorn and toss to mix. Makes 6 servings.
(Recipe by Food Network.)
ZA’ATAR POPCORN
3 T. butter
1 T. za’atar spice blend
1/2 t. salt
6 c. hot popcorn
Melt butter in a saucepan and stir in za’atar and salt until thoroughly blended. Pour over popcorn and toss. Makes 3 servings.
(Adapted from a recipe by the Food Network.)