Hey guys!
Happy Friday! Hope you’re all up to no good. I, for one, have been taking a lot of risks lately.
These risks include:
- letting my roommate cut my hair
- not blogging and expecting Erin to not change the password
- painting a wall of the apartment and not asking our landlord
- writing a 2 hour presentation 2 hours before my presentation
- putting bacon on caramel corn
And lucky for you, the last one was to your benefit.
A delicious, spicy, sweet, salty, crunchy, chewy snack. Yum Yum Yum.
Even though it might sound weird, I really really really think you’ll like it. Make a batch and serve it as party food. Give it as a gift. Or eat it all yourself and then wonder why your tongue feels like it’s up in flames. (You can guess which of these I did)
And if the thought of making caramel intimidates you, DON’T LET IT! This is the easiest caramel I’ve ever made. It’s easy, full of sweetness, and with a kick of heat. I got the recipe from Adrianna on A Cozy Kitchen, but traded some cayenne for cinnamon. The results were spicy, the popcorn was almost savory. If you’re not into that, leave out the cinnamon and maybe take down the cayenne a knotch or two. Have fun!
Spicy Caramel Corn with Bacon
Adapted from A Cozy Kitchen
- ~10 cups (1-2 bags) of microwave popcorn (the less buttery/salty the better), popped
- 6 slices thick-cut bacon
- 2 Tablespoons brown sugar
- nonstick cooking spray
- 3 cups white sugar
- 1/2 cup water
- 3 tablespoons unsalted butter
- 1 1/2 teaspoons baking soda
- 1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper
- 1/4 teaspoon cinnamon
Have popcorn ready in a large mixing bowl. Prepare a baking sheet with parchment paper and spray with nonstick spray (for popcorn later).
Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Place bacon on a lined baking sheet and sprinkle with brown sugar. Cook bacon in preheated oven for about fifteen minutes, until crispy. Remove and let cool/drain on paper towels. Tear cooled bacon into pieces.
Mix cayenne pepper, cinnamon, and baking powder in a small bowl. In a medium saucepan, combine butter, sugar, water, and salt. Cook over high heat and do not stir until the mixture is yellow (about ten minutes). Once the mixture is turning caramel in color, remove from heat and stir in the baking soda/spice mixture. The results will bubble. Fold in the bacon peices and pour over the popcorn bowl, working quickly to coat each piece.
Immediately spread the warm popcorn on the prepared baking sheet, breaking up any big pieces, and allow to cool 15-20 minutes. 
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