Grandma Maude's Famous Christmas "Poppycock" or Caramel Popcorn

Step 1

Pop 11 cups of popcorn ( ½ cup of kernels popped in oil makes about 11 cups of popped corn)

Step 2

cup of salted mixed nuts, toasted

Step 3

½ cup of red and green jujubes (if using Santa faces, cut each into four)

Step 4

a buttered mixing bowl (place popped corn into this bowl and sprinkle pre-cut jujubes over top of corn)

Step 5

a cookie sheet, buttered well, or layered with parchment paper

Step 6

candy thermometer (2, if making a few batches)

Step 7

wooden spoon

Step 8

Place ½ teaspoon soda and 1 teaspoon vanilla beside bowl with corn and jujubes for immediate addition to sauce once removed from heat

Step 9

Place first 4 ingredients into heavy pan, insert candy thermometer, and bring to a boil on medium heat to 250 degrees, just before hard ball stage, or right at it

Step 10

While watching the thermometer, place cup of toasted nuts nearby, empty 1/2 teaspoon Baking Soda into nuts; move vanilla beside nuts to be ready to add immediately into caramel once temperature is achieved

Step 11

Watch thermometer; once temperature is achieved, double tempo: immediately remove from heat…

Step 12

*Watch carefully: it takes quite a while to approach this temp, then is suddenly there (if higher temp is achieved, a very brittle product results)

Step 13

Immediately remove caramel from heat; add soda, vanilla, nuts and stir very quickly to combine

Step 14

Pour sauce over popcorn and jujubes; using wooden spoon, stir rigorously and gently to coat all kernels

Step 15

Lay well coated kernels onto parchment covered (or well buttered) cookie sheet, and flatten gently

Step 16

Cool; break into smaller pieces and pack in airtight container