Triple Chocolate Gourmet Carmel Corn!

     I have a good friend!   A most amazing friend!  The kind of friend that shares her most favorite and awesome recipe with me without even hesitating!  Now that is true friendship in my book!  I first tasted this recipe when she brought it to work and it is one of those WOW! moments when you just know you will die if you don't figure out how to make this a part of your life!  And then she just let me have it!  (Not in the "will you leave me alone?" kind of way) In the "here it is and I will tell you all my tips to make it work out way"!!  And so I am passing it on to you!  Because we are friends too and I want you to have that WOW! moment in your life!

     I think that this is a great treat to make anytime for the holidays, maybe for after that big Thanksgiving dinner and everyone is still sitting around the table playing games day.  Or for wrapping in a cellophane bag and tying red and green ribbon at the top for neighbor gifts.  It is that good and gourmet looking!  You will be everyone's favorite neighbor this year!  
So have fun with it!

Triple Chocolate Gourmet Carmel Corn
Thanks Julie!

     Pop 3/4 cup popcorn kernels without oil.  (I use my hot air popcorn popper, Julie pops them in a small lunchsack in the microwave)

     Remove unpopped kernels and then divide into 2 large bowls.

Place:
1 cup butter
2 cups brown sugar
1/2 cup corn syrup 

     In a heavy 4 quart saucepan.  Melt and then bring to a boil over medium heat.  Using a candy thermometer boil until it reaches 255 degrees F.  (Make sure your thermometer is accurate).  Remove from heat and stir in:

1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 teaspoons vanilla extract

     Pour 1/2 of the mixture over popcorn and mix, then repeat this with the second bowl of popcorn, coating all the popcorn with caramel.  Place the coated popcorn on two cookie sheets in a single layer.  Place both sheets on separate racks in the oven that has been heated to 250 degrees F. 

      Cook for 20 min and then turn the popcorn with a spatula and rotate the shelf each sheet is baking on.  Cook another 20 min and turn again.  At this point I took a few kernels off the sheet and let them cool.  They were crispy and crunchy so I took all of the popcorn out.  The recipe says this can take up to 1 hour and 20 minutes.  That may depend on exactly what temperature you cooked the caramel syrup to.  If it was a little less than 255 degrees it may take longer than mine to be crunchy when cooled.  (The warm popcorn will still be soft and syrupy).  Just test and and cook until done!


     Now remove it and let it cool.  Divide the popcorn into the same 2 large bowls so you have room to stir and fold in the next ingredients.
When it is about room temperature, add:

2 cups mini marshmallows
1 cup raw whole almonds

     Melt in a medium bowl in the microwave, (for 1 minute the first time and then 30 second intervals) 

1 lb. white chocolate (We used white Almond Bark and it worked well)

      Pour 1/2 the chocolate over each bowl of popcorn and fold it into the mix until all is well coated.
Divide the popcorn and place back on the two cookie sheet in a single layer.

Place separately in  heavy quart size ziplock bags:
3/4 cup milk chocolate chips
3/4 cup semi sweet chocolate chips


     Melt these slowly in the microwave also.

     When the chips are melted, seal the bags and cut a very small end off of the corner of the first bag.  Hold the bag with your whole hand around it and close to the tip to prevent it from splitting under pressure, and slowly squeeze the chocolate out across the popcorn using sweeping motions. 

     Lightly cover each cookie sheet of popcorn.  Repeat with the next bag of chocolate beginning on the opposite corner of the cookie sheet to make a nice pattern.  Let this cool and harden. 

      This stuff is addicting so please share it with others before it becomes a problem!!!

PS.  Am I the only one that thinks Marshmallow should be spelled with an e??? As in Marshmellow?  

I love to hear your comments!

This recipe was shared on these fine sites!
A pinch of Joy 
Make Ahead Meals for Busy Moms 
Naptime Creations 
Chef in Training 
Pint Sized Baker 
I Should Be Mopping the Floor 
Jam Hands 
Salt Tree Social 
Tasty Tuesdays 
Mommifried
The Country Cook