Caramel corn or caramel popcorn (toffee popcorn in the UK) is a

confection Confectionery is the art of making confections, or sweet foods. Confections are items that are rich in sugar and carbohydrates, although exact definitions are difficult. In general, however, confections are divided into two broad and somew ...

made of

popcorn Popcorn (also called popped corn, popcorns, or pop-corn) is a variety of corn kernel which expands and puffs up when heated. The term also refers to the snack food produced by the expansion. It is one of the oldest snacks, with evidence of p ...

coated with a

sugar Sugar is the generic name for sweet-tasting, soluble carbohydrates, many of which are used in food. Simple sugars, also called monosaccharides, include glucose Glucose is a sugar with the Chemical formula#Molecular formula, molecul ...

molasses Molasses () is a viscous byproduct, principally obtained from the refining of sugarcane or sugar beet juice into sugar. Molasses varies in the amount of sugar, the method of extraction, and the age of the plant. Sugarcane molasses is usuall ...

-based

caramel Caramel ( or ) is a range of food ingredients made by heating sugars to high temperatures. It is used as a flavoring in puddings and desserts, as a filling in bonbons or candy bars, as a topping for ice cream and custard, and as a colorant ...

candy shell that is normally less than 1mm thick. Typically a sugar solution or

syrup In cooking, syrup (less commonly sirup; from ; , beverage, wine and ) is a condiment that is a thick, viscous liquid consisting primarily of a Solution (chemistry), solution of sugar in water, containing a large amount of dissolved sugars but ...

is made and heated until it browns and becomes thick, producing a

caramelized Caramelization (or caramelisation) is a process of browning of sugar used extensively in cooking for the resulting butter-like flavor and brown color. The brown colors are produced by three groups of polymers: (C24H36O18), (C36H50O25), and ...

candy syrup. This hot candy is then mixed with popped popcorn, and allowed to cool. Sometimes, a

candy thermometer A candy thermometer, also known as a sugar thermometer or jam thermometer, is a cooking thermometer used to measure the temperature and therefore the ''stage'' of a cooking sugar solution. (See Candy making#Sugar stages, candy making for a descrip ...

is used, as making caramel is time-consuming and requires skill to make well without burning the sugar. The process creates a sweet flavored, crunchy

snack food A snack is a small portion of Human food, food generally Eating, eaten between meals. Snacks come in a variety of forms including Food packaging, packaged snack foods and other processed foods, as well as items made from fresh ingredients at ho ...

or treat. After coating with the candy syrup, some varieties are baked in an oven to crisp the mixture. Mixes sometimes contain

nuts Nut often refers to: * Nut (fruit), fruit composed of a hard shell and a seed * Nut (food), a dry and edible fruit or seed, including but not limited to true nuts * Nut (hardware), fastener used with a bolt Nut, NUT or Nuts may also refer to: A ...

, such as

peanut The peanut (''Arachis hypogaea''), also known as the groundnut, goober (US), goober pea, pindar (US) or monkey nut (UK), is a legume crop grown mainly for its edible seeds. It is widely grown in the tropics and subtropics by small and large ...

pecans The pecan ( , , ; ''Carya illinoinensis'') is a species of hickory native to the Southern United States and northern Mexico in the region of the Mississippi River. The tree is cultivated for its seed primarily in the U.S. states of Georgia, ...

almonds The almond (''Prunus amygdalus'', syn. ''Prunus dulcis'') is a species of tree from the genus ''Prunus''. Along with the peach, it is classified in the subgenus ''Amygdalus'', distinguished from the other subgenera by corrugations on the sh ...

, or

cashews Cashew is the common name of a tropical evergreen tree ''Anacardium occidentale'', in the family Anacardiaceae. It is native to South America and is the source of the cashew nut and the cashew apple, an accessory fruit. The tree can grow as tal ...

History

The combination of caramel and corn dates back at least as far as the 1890s with the strong molasses flavor of

Cracker Jack Cracker Jack is an American brand of snack food that consists of molasses-flavored, caramel-coated popcorn balls and peanuts, well known for being packaged with a prize of trivial value inside. The Cracker Jack name and slogan, "The More You E ...

, an early version of which was introduced at the

Chicago Chicago is the List of municipalities in Illinois, most populous city in the U.S. state of Illinois and in the Midwestern United States. With a population of 2,746,388, as of the 2020 United States census, 2020 census, it is the List of Unite ...

World's Fair in 1893. The lighter, sweet but un-caramelized

kettle corn Kettle corn is a sweet-and-savory variety of popcorn that is typically mixed or seasoned with a light-colored refined sugar, salt, and oil. It was traditionally made in cast iron kettles, hence the name, but in modern times other types of pots a ...

, may be a North American colonial predecessor to caramel corn. There are many commercial

brands A brand is a name, term, design, symbol or any other feature that distinguishes one seller's goods or service from those of other sellers. Brands are used in business, marketing, and advertising for recognition and, importantly, to create and ...

and forms of caramel corn available, such as Cracker Jack,

Fiddle Faddle Fiddle Faddle is caramel popcorn produced by ConAgra Foods. Introduced in 1967, the snack is commonly found in US discount and drug stores. Fiddle Faddle consists of popped popcorn covered with either caramel or butter toffee and mixed with pe ...

Lolly Gobble Bliss Bombs Lolly Gobble Bliss Bombs are an Australian snack food made by the Greens food company. Originally released in the 1970s, it is caramelised, ready-to-eat popcorn, similar to the American Cracker Jack. The concept was first floated in the late ...

, and

Crunch 'n Munch Crunch 'n Munch is an American brand of snack food produced by Conagra Brands consisting of caramel-coated popcorn and peanuts. History Crunch 'n Munch was first sold in 1966 by the Franklin Nut Company. In 1980, it was sold to American Home Food ...

. In

grocery stores A grocery store ( AE), grocery shop or grocer's shop ( BE) or simply grocery is a retail store that primarily retails a general range of food products, which may be fresh or packaged. In everyday US usage, however, "grocery store" is a synonym f ...

, at

cinemas A movie theater (American English) or cinema (Commonwealth English), also known as a movie house, cinema hall, picture house, picture theater, the movies, the pictures, or simply theater, is a business that contains auditoriums for viewing fi ...

, and

convenience stores A convenience store, convenience shop, bakkal, bodega, corner store, corner shop, superette or mini-mart is a small retail store that stocks a range of everyday items such as convenience food, groceries, beverages, tobacco products, lottery t ...

, pre-bagged caramel corn made locally may also be sold.

Regulation

Candy-coated popcorn is defined in US law as a food of

minimal nutritional value Minimal may refer to: * Minimal (music genre), art music that employs limited or minimal musical materials * Minimal (song), "Minimal" (song), 2006 song by Pet Shop Boys * Minimal (supermarket) or miniMAL, a former supermarket chain in Germany and ...

References

Confectionery Popcorn Halloween food {{Confection-stub

History

Regulation

See also

References