Pick Of The Pops!

Two easy peasy recipes for popcorn. This will make two large bowls for a party, or fill about a dozen jam jars if you want to give it as gifts.

Start with about 125 grams popping corn and a large saucepan [I use my venerable old Hi-Dome pressure cooker] Heat about 1 tbsp oil on a medium heat [not too hot] and cover the base with kernels [that’s about 30g] Hold the lid in place and shake well. Keep the lid on – and as the kernels start to pop, shake the pan vigorously. Shake periodically, and when popping stops, tip popped corn into a large bowl. Remove any unpopped kernels. Repeat until all corn is popped. This will fill an average washing up bowl.

At this point, I divided it into two batches and made one sweet and one spicy. I find the easiest way to combine the flavourings with the corn is to put the corn into a large bowl and mix by hand, then tip it back and forth between large bowl and serving bowl a few times. That gets everything well combined. Quantities below each flavour 60-75grams of unpopped kernels. Just make up the powdered mix and combine with popped corn.
SAVOURY AND SPICY
Mix in a mortar and pestle [or grind with back of spoon in a small pyrex bowl or jug] the following NB these are TEAspoons NOT TABLEspoons!!

• 1tsp sea salt
• ½tsp freshly ground black pepper
• ½tsp chilli flakes
• ½tsp cayenne pepper
• 1 tsp demerara sugar

SWEET AND CHOCOLATEY
Mix together

• 2tsp icing sugar
• ½tsp cocoa powder
• ½tsp ground cinnamon

Do make sure you label the bowls, so people know which is which – not everyone likes chilli! The first recipe is not too spicy [I can eat it, and I am not a great chilli fan] but you do get a gentle hit of flavour. The second is not over-sweet. Taste your finished batches and adjust to your liking!

Enjoy!
Update - here's another recipe sent by blogfriend Mrs Micawber - thanks Mrs M
http://mrsmicawber.blogspot.co.uk/2011/12/making-more-winter-honey-caramelcorn.html