Toffee popcorn- dairy-free

lucylox

Jan 18

Dairy-free 'Butterkist' Ra! Ra! Ra!

Here's a really fun fun and crowd pleasing recipe.

Whilst you can buy plenty of safe popcorn, it's difficult to find anything more exciting than sweet and/or salty. So here is my version of the favourite toffee popcorn that used to be a staple in any UK cinema. Butterkist popcorn was the one and only brand to turn to for a sweet cinema treat. I haven't eaten any in years (is it still for sale?) but i remember soft puffed kernels coated in a crisp toffee shell, and this recipe gives exactly those results.

Be wary though, once you start snacking on this addictive, caramel coated popcorn it's pretty hard to stop. As the caramel sets to a hard outer shell on the popcorn pieces it also serves to keep the kernels nice and fresh which can sometimes be difficult with home popped corn. The only necessity is to keep the toffee popcorn dry, so if you seal it in an airtight jar you can have delicious popcorn for weeks to come (if it lasts that long!)

The coating is basically a dairy-free butter enriched honeycomb that enrobes the light and puffy popcorn pieces with a thin crisp toffee flavoured sugar shell. I like a add some vanilla for a classy finish.

Another nice twist is a chocolate drizzle over the top - after all chocolate makes everything better, right?

Dairy-free toffee popcorn

dairy-free, egg-free, nut-free, sesame-free, gluten-free, vegan, vegetarian
Makes a large bowlful or two jars worth

candy thermometer, silicone mat

50 g popping corn
200 g caster sugar
2 tbsp water
20 g dairy-free butter
½ tsp bicarbonate of soda
1 tsp vanilla extract

Using a lidded heavy bottomed sauce pan, heat a 1tsp flavourless oil over a medium to high heat, add the corn and place the lid on top. Jiggle the pan over the heat until the corn starts popping. Make sure you don't remove the lid until all the corn has popped otherwise it will go everywhere! Once popped, pour into a large bowl
Using a large saucepan, melt together the sugar, water and dairy-free butter. Once the sugar crystals have melted, increase the heat until you reach 180 degrees Centigrade.
Immediately turn off the heat and stir in the vanilla and bicarb. The bicarb will make the caramel puff up so watch out.
Pour the popcorn into the caramel and stir until all the pieces are coated. Tip onto a silicone baking mat, or some baking parchment and leave to set.
Once cool and set, break into smaller pieces and place in an airtight container.

Snack

American, British

dairy-free butterkist, toffee popcorn, vegan toffee popcorn