Pink Peony Popcorn Balls Recipes

POPCORN BALLS

Steps:

• Melt butter in a large pot and add marshmallows.
• Take off the stove and add popped popcorn and stir.
• Let sit until cold to the touch.
• Butter up your hands and form balls.
• Place on wax paper to prevent from sticking together.

TRADITIONAL POPCORN BALLS

Steps:

• Place popcorn in a large baking pan; keep warm in a 200° oven. , In a heavy saucepan, combine the sugar, corn syrup, water and salt. Cook over medium heat until a candy thermometer reads 235° (soft-ball stage). , Remove from the heat. Add the butter, vanilla and food coloring if desired; stir until butter is melted. Immediately pour over popcorn and stir until evenly coated. , When mixture is cool enough to handle, quickly shape into 3-in. balls, dipping hands in cold water to prevent sticking.

PINK PEONY POPCORN BALLS

Steps:

• Combine popcorn and cranberries in a large mixing bowl, and set aside.
• Combine sugar, 3/4 cup water, corn syrup, salt, and vinegar in a small, heavy saucepan. Set the saucepan over high heat, and bring the mixture to a boil. Insert a candy thermometer, and cook until the mixture reaches 290 degrees, about 14 minutes. Add food coloring, stirring, until desired color is reached. Remove pan from heat.
• Pour the hot syrup over the reserved popcorn mixture; stir together with a wooden spoon until all the kernels have been well coated. Working quickly, use your hands to form a 2 1/2-inch-diameter ball. Transfer the ball to parchment paper, and let cool completely. Repeat with remaining the popcorn mixture. Store the popcorn balls in an airtight container up to 2 days.

SWEET AND SPICY PEPITAS POPCORN BALLS

Steps:

• Pop the popcorn according to package instructions. While hot, carefully open package and dump into a large bowl.
• Toast the pumpkin seeds in a large skillet over medium-high heat, until browned and popping, tossing and stirring occasionally, about 4 minutes. (Do this in batches, if needed.) Add to the popcorn.
• Make caramel: Warm the cream over low heat and keep warm while you cook the sugar. Put the sugar and corn syrup and in a deep, heavy-bottomed large saucepan. Cook over medium heat, stirring occasionally until the sugar dissolves. Stop stirring, raise heat to medium-high, and simmer until the sugar reaches the hard crack stage, or 305 degrees F on a candy thermometer, about 7 minutes.
• Whisk the butter and salt into the sugar mixture. Gradually pour in the cream and vanilla taking care since the mixture will bubble up. Reduce the heat to medium and continue to cook, stirring occasionally, until the sugar reaches soft ball stage, 240 degrees F on the thermometer, about 5 minutes more. Immediately remove from the heat and stir in the cinnamon and cayenne. Cool for about a minute. Pour caramel over the popcorn and stir to evenly coat.
• When the popcorn is cool enough to handle, coat your hands with some butter and shape into 4-inch balls. Wrap in waxed paper and tie with a string, if desired. Serve or store covered at room temperature for up to a week.

CANDY CORN POPCORN BALLS

Steps:

• Melt the candy corn in the heavy cream in a small saucepan, stirring as needed, over medium-low heat. Put the popped popcorn in a large bowl. Pour the melted candy corn mixture over the popcorn and stir to coat.
• Spray your hands with nonstick cooking spray and roll the popcorn into baseball-sized balls, pressing the popcorn together firmly so it sticks and stays together. Allow the popcorn balls to chill on a parchment-lined baking sheet in the refrigerator for about 5 minutes to firm up. Enjoy!

CANDY CORN POPCORN BALLS

Steps:

• Heat a large pot over medium-high heat; add the popcorn kernels and peanut oil. When the oil starts to sizzle, sprinkle the sugar over the kernels. Cover with a tight-fitting lid and shake the pot until the popping slows down, about 8 minutes. Remove from the heat and set aside to cool. Spray a large bowl with cooking spray and add the popcorn, candy corn and peanuts.
• Combine the marshmallows and butter in a large pot over medium-high heat. Cook, stirring, until melted and smooth, about 5 minutes.
• Pour the melted marshmallow mixture over the popcorn mixture and gently toss to coat.
• Coat your hands with cooking spray, then shape the popcorn into 3-inch balls. Let cool.

SWEET PINK POPCORN

Steps:

• Pop corn in an air popper.
• Boil the sugar, butter, water and food coloring for 3 minutes. Let cool for 10 minutes.
• Slowly poor the sugar mixture over the popcorn and toss to coat evenly.
• Let dry on a cookie sheet. To speed this process dry in a 200 degree oven for 10 minutes, watching carefully.