Grandmas Molasses Popcorn Ball Recipes

POP'S MOLASSES POPCORN BALLS AND TAFFY

Steps:

• Place popcorn in a large bowl, with room for mixing. Fill another bowl with ice water. Butter several plates, one per each person who will be pulling taffy.
• Combine sugar, corn syrup, molasses, water, butter, and salt in a large 6-quart saucepan over medium heat; attach a candy thermometer. Bring to a boil, stirring frequently. Tip the pan slightly to melt the sugar crystals on the sides, scraping down with a wooden spoon. Heat until the mixture registers 300 to 310 degrees F (149 to 155 degrees C) on the thermometer or until a small amount of syrup drizzled into cold water turns hard, 7 to 10 minutes.
• Pour about 1 cup syrup onto each buttered plate. Let cool until safe to handle like a hot potato, 3 to 5 minutes. Pull syrup between your hands until a light golden brown color is achieved; the longer you pull it, the lighter it becomes. Twist into a long rope about 3/4-inch thick and place on back on a buttered plate to let taffy harden and cool. Break the hardened taffy apart.
• Pour the remaining hot syrup carefully over popcorn, while someone else quickly stirs the batch. Butter your hands and dip them in the ice water; working quickly to avoid burns and before taffy hardens, grab some of the popcorn mixture and form into a 3-inch ball. Repeat with the remaining popcorn.

GRANDPA'S POPCORN BALLS

Steps:

• In a saucepan over medium heat, combine the sugar, corn syrup, butter and water. Stir and heat to hard-crack stage or 300 degrees F (150 degrees C). Remove from heat, add vanilla or vinegar; mix well.
• Pour slowly over popped popcorn while stirring. Wait 5 minutes and shape into 3 inch round balls.

OLD-TIME POPCORN BALLS

Steps:

• Place popcorn in a large bowl and set aside. In a large heavy saucepan, combine molasses, sugar, water, vinegar and butter. Cook, without stirring, over medium heat until mixture reaches 235° on a candy thermometer (soft-ball stage). Add baking soda and stir well. , Remove from heat and immediately pour over popcorn, stirring gently with a wooden spoon until well coated. When cool enough to handle, quickly shape into 3-in. balls, dipping hands in cool water to prevent the syrup from sticking.

MOLASSES POPCORN BALLS

Steps:

• Combine molasses, sugar and butter or margarine in a 2 quart saucepan. Dissolve sugar by stirring. Cook over medium heat until mixture forms a hard but not brittle ball when dropped in cold water. Stir constantly. Dribble syrup over popped corn stirring to coat all. Make balls with buttered hands when cool. Wrap in waxed paper.

GRANDMA'S CARAMEL POPCORN BALLS

Steps:

• Sort through popcorn, discarding unpopped kernels.
• Combine evaporated milk, sugar, corn syrup, margarine, and salt in a large saucepan over medium heat. Bring to a boil; stir constantly until caramel reaches 246 degrees F (119 degrees C) on a candy thermometer, about 5 minutes.
• Pour some popcorn into a very large bowl. Pour in some of the caramel; stir until evenly coated. Add remaining popcorn and caramel in batches, stirring well after each addition.
• Scoop some of the popcorn mixture onto a piece of plastic wrap. Gather and twist the plastic wrap to gently shape into a ball. Place popcorn ball on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper; repeat with remaining mixture. Let cool until set, about 15 minutes.

BARE-BONES MOLASSES POPCORN BALLS

Steps:

• Combine molasses and sugar in a saucepan.
• Grease a large mixing bowl and put in popped popcorn. Grease a mixing spoon. Set aside.
• Combine molasses and sugar in a saucepan. Stirring constantly, heat over medium-high heat until just about boiling.
• Pour over popcorn and mix well. Add peanuts if desired at this point.
• Let cool a little (take the kids to wash their hands - that will take just the right amount of time!).
• Press popcorn into balls. (Kids love this!).
• Eat what sticks on your hands.

OLD FASHIONED MOLASSES "CARAMEL" CORN

Steps:

• Pre-heat oven to 250 deg.
• Place butter in a medium pot, on medium heat.
• While the butter's melting, pop the corn and put it in a large roasting pan. I used a disposable aluminum pan and a hot air popper (you won't need to butter the pan).
• Keep an eye on the butter and add the sugar, molasses, and salt to it as soon as its melted.
• Bring the candy to a boil and stir and cook it only till the sugar melts and the butter blends in entirely - just a couple minutes.
• Turn off the heat and stir the vanilla and peanuts into the candy.
• Quickly add the baking soda and stir untill it's well mixed. It foams to make a lighter, more delicate candy.
• Pour the candy over the popcorn and toss untill it's evenly coated.
• Put the popcorn in the oven for 1 hour, tossing every 15 or 20 minutes.
• Let it cool completely before breaking up and putting into an airtight container.
• I developed this recipe by hacking others because I couldn't find another to suit me. I made this for Christmas treats and it was INHALED, you'll find it tastes like Cracker Jack; that candy is made with molasses, not corn syrup, I got a box yersterday to compare.
• You can easily double this, but double the baking time too.

GRANDMA'S POPCORN BALLS

Steps:

• In large pot mix well the sugar, Kayro syrup, vinegar and bring to boil. Continue until mixture reaches the Hard Crack Stage on candy thermometer.
• Remove from heat and quickly stir in popped popcorn. Butter your hands and scoop enough coated mixture to form baseball sized balls.
• You have to work quickly as the coating will harden very fast. When cooled, wrap in wax paper, twisting to close.
• Preparation and cooking time does not include time to pop popcorn.
• Cooking time varies with weather conditions.