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Ingredients
- Yield: About 24 cups of caramel corn
- 8 ounces bacon, cooked until crisp and chopped, bacon drippings reserved
- 1 cup roasted and salted cashews
- 3 tablespoons bacon drippings (if not enough, use vegetable oil to augment)
- ¾ cup popcorn kernels
- 3 cups granulated sugar
- 3 tablespoons unsalted butter
- ¼ cup bourbon
- 1½ teaspoons kosher salt
- 1 tablespoon vanilla extract
- 1½ teaspoons baking soda
View Full Recipe at Brown Eyed Baker
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,%20singing%20into%20a%20toy%20stand%20microphone%20with%20flashing%20lights%20on%20the%20bottom,%20and%20eating%20popcorn%20from%20one%20of%20those%20big%20tins.%20This%20moment%20might%20actually%20be%20captured%20on%20a%20home%20video%20somewhere,%20which%20is%20just%20downright%20mortifying.%3C/p%3E%3Cp%3EAnyway,%20back%20to%20the%20popcorn%E2%80%A6%20It%20was%20no%20contest%20in%20our%20house%20%E2%80%93%20the%20caramel%20corn%20section%20was%20always%20the%20first%20to%20go%20in%20the%20tin,%20no%20questions%20asked.%20Being%20a%20huge%20peanut%20butter%20person%20means%20that%20I%20was%20also%20totally%20enamored%20with%20Cracker%20Jack%20growing%20up.%20Imagine%20how%20ecstatic%20I%20was%20to%20find%20out%20that%20a%20homemade%20version%20was%20totally%20doable.%20It%E2%80%99s%20also%20hopelessly%20addicting,%20but%20that%E2%80%99s%20neither%20here%20nor%20there%3C/p%3E%3Cp%3EIt%E2%80%99s%20been%20awhile%20since%20I%20made%20a%20batch%20of%20caramel%20corn%20and%20I%20wanted%20to%20jazz%20things%20up%20a%20bit.%20I%20started%20with%20bacon,%20because,%20well,%20bacon%20significantly%20improves%20just%20about%20everything,%20doesn%E2%80%99t%20it?%20I%20also%20switched%20up%20the%20nuts,%20opting%20for%20cashews%20instead%20of%20the%20traditional%20peanuts.%20Lastly,%20I%20added%20bourbon%20to%20the%20caramel%20mixture.%3C/p%3E%3Cp%3EBourbon%20and%20caramel?%20Good.%3C/p%3E%3Cp%3EBourbon%20and%20bacon?%20Good.%3C/p%3E%3Cp%3EBourbon%20and%20cashews?%20Good.%3C/p%3E%3Cp%3EI%20feel%20like%20Joey%20from%20Friends%20rattling%20off%20that%20list.%20Basically,%20bourbon%20seemed%20like%20a%20good%20partner%20for%20everything%20else%20going%20into%20the%20popcorn.%20Plus,%20the%20Kentucky%20Derby%20is%20on%20Saturday,%20so%20I%20busted%20out%20the%20Jim%20Beam%20bourbon.%3C/p%3E%3Cp%3EWhether%20you%20want%20to%20reminisce%20about%20the%20popcorn%20tins%20of%20the%20old%20days%20(are%20those%20still%20a%20thing?%20I%20haven%E2%80%99t%20seen%20one%20in%20at%20least%20a%20decade!)%20or%20need%20a%20snack%20to%20munch%20on%20while%20watching%20the%20Kentucky%20Derby,%20this%20is%20a%20killer%20recipe.%20It%20also%20makes%20a%20ton,%20so%20you%E2%80%99ll%20be%20a%20hero%20if%20you%20decide%20to%20bring%20it%20to%20a%20party.%3C/p%3E%3Cp%3EOne%20year%20ago:%20Fried%20Ice%20Cream%3C/p%3E%3Cp%3ETwo%20years%20ago:%20Chile%20Con%20Queso%3C/p%3E%3Cp%3EThree%20years%20ago:%20Chocolate%20Biscuit%20Cake%3C/p%3E%3Cp%3EFour%20years%20ago:%20Tres%20Leches%20Cake%3C/p%3E%3Cp%3EFive%20years%20ago:%20Fluted%20Polenta%20Ricotta%20Cake%3C/p%3E%3Cp%3EBacon%20and%20Cashew%20Bourbon%20Caramel%20Corn%3C/p%3E%3Cp%3EYield:%20About%2024%20cups%20of%20caramel%20corn%3C/p%3E%3Cp%3EPrep%20Time:%2015%20minutes%3C/p%3E%3Cp%3ECook%20Time:%2030%20minutes%3C/p%3E%3Cp%3ETotal%20Time:%2045%20minutes%3C/p%3E%3Cp%3EBourbon%20caramel%20corn%20with%20chopped%20bacon%20and%20roasted%20cashews.%3C/p%3E%3Cp%3EIngredients:%3C/p%3E%3Cp%3EDirections:%3C/p%3E%3Cp%3E1.%20Make%20the%20Popcorn:%20Pour%203%20tablespoons%20of%20the%20bacon%20drippings%20a%20large%20pot%20and%20drop%20four%20kernels%20of%20corn%20into%20the%20pan.%20Cover%20and%20set%20over%20high%20heat.%20After%20all%20of%20the%20kernels%20pop,%20turn%20off%20the%20heat.%20Pour%20in%20all%20of%20the%20kernels,%20cover,%20and%20wait%2030%20seconds.%20Turn%20the%20heat%20back%20on%20to%20high%20and%20pop%20until%20the%20kernels%20are%20no%20longer%20popping.%20Empty%20the%20popcorn%20into%20a%20large,%206-quart%20bowl%20and%20discard%20any%20kernels%20that%20haven't%20popped.%20Stir%20the%20bacon%20and%20cashews%20into%20the%20popcorn.%3C/p%3E%3Cp%3E2.%20Make%20the%20Caramel:%20Line%20a%20baking%20sheet%20with%20parchment%20paper%20or%20a%20silicone%20baking%20mat.%20Place%20the%20sugar,%20butter,%20bourbon%20and%20salt%20in%20a%20medium%20saucepan%20over%20medium%20heat.%20Stir%20until%20the%20sugar%20melts,%20and%20then%20stir%20occasionally%20once%20the%20caramel%20begins%20to%20simmer%20until%20it%20reaches%20a%20golden%20caramel%20color.%20Remove%20the%20saucepan%20from%20the%20heat%20and%20quickly%20stir%20in%20the%20vanilla%20extract%20and%20baking%20soda%20(it%20will%20bubble%20up,%20just%20keep%20stirring%20until%20it%20calms%20down).%3C/p%3E%3Cp%3E3.%20Finish%20the%20Caramel%20Corn:%20Immediately%20pour%20the%20caramel%20over%20the%20popcorn.%20Working%20quickly,%20use%20a%20silicone%20spatula%20(or%20a%20rubber%20spatula%20coated%20with%20non-stick%20cooking%20spray)%20to%20mix%20it%20all%20together,%20ensuring%20that%20the%20caramel%20evenly%20coats%20all%20of%20the%20popcorn.%20Turn%20the%20popcorn%20out%20onto%20the%20prepared%20baking%20sheet%20and%20spread%20in%20an%20even%20layer.%20Allow%20to%20cool%20completely%20(it%20takes%2030%20minutes%20to%201%20hour),%20then%20break%20up%20into%20pieces%20and%20store%20in%20an%20airtight%20container%20at%20room%20temperature%20for%20up%20to%202%20weeks.%3C/p%3E%3Cp%3ENote:%20The%20bourbon%20is%20boiled%20in%20the%20caramel%20mixture,%20so%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