caramel + popcorn

Did you know that corn was first cultivated domestically in Mexico 9,000 years ago? The first evidence of "popping" corn into what we now know as popcorn wasn't documented until the 1820s. By 1848, the word "popcorn" showed up in the dictionary. The name came from the sound that it makes while the kernels are being cooked. Popcorn's popularity didn't skyrocket until it became the staple snack of movie theatres, and after that, the rest is history.

I <3 popcorn. It's the perfect snack for when I want something small, but then I end up eating tons of it. And what better to add to popcorn than caramel? Sweet + salty never fails in my book. 

My lovely aunt visited us over Halloween weekend and brought a big bag of caramel popcorn with her. I was inspired. Caramel popcorn reminds me of trips to the carnival store on the way down to the beach. We always stop by to get candy apples, cotton candy, boiled peanuts and of course, caramel popcorn. I just knew I had to make it into a doughnut. Also, I've got a new brioche recipe included in this one, so try it out!

for the doughnut:

1 /2 cup milk
2 1/2 teaspoons active dry yeast
3 cups unbleached all-purpose flour
8 tablespoons cold unsalted butter, cut into 12 pieces
1/4 cup sugar
1 teaspoon salt
2 large eggs
2 large egg yolks

Heat the milk in a small saucepan or in the microwave until it is just lukewarm, about 110 degrees F. Pour the milk into a small bowl and whisk in the yeast. Use a spoon to stir in 1 cup of the flour. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and set aside until it is bubbly and slightly risen, about 20 minutes.

In the bowl of a food processor fitted with the metal blade (or the dough blade, if you have one), combine the butter, sugar, salt, eggs and egg yolks. Pulse until the butter is finely chopped and equally distributed throughout the mixture, which will appear curdled and separated (but won’t worry–it will come back together when flour is added).

Scrape the yeast mixture into the food processor and pulse 6 times to mix. Add 1 cup of the remaining flour and pulse until the mixture is smooth. Scrape down the bowl. Add the rest of the flour and pulse again until well-mixed. Let the dough
rest in the food processor for 10 minutes.

After the rest, start the processor and let it run continuously for 10 seconds. Turn the dough out onto a floured work surface. With the help of a bench scraper, knead the dough 5 or 6 times, or until it is slightly more elastic.


Roll the dough into a ball and put into a greased bowl, cover with a towel or buttered plastic wrap and let rise until doubled in bulk, 1 to 2 hours, depending on how warm the room is. 

Preheat 6 cups of vegetable oil to 365 degrees F. Roll the dough out onto a floured surface and use a doughnut cutter or two biscuit cutters to form doughnuts. Drop each doughnut in the fryer and fry for about 1-2 minutes, flipping half way through.

  

for the glaze:

1 stick of unsalted butter
2 cups powdered sugar
1/2 cup warm milk
dash of salt

Melt the stick of butter until completely liquefied, then add the powdered sugar, milk and salt. Mix until smooth and spoon the mixture on the top of the doughnuts to let it melt slightly.

for the topping:
caramel popcorn

for the caramel drizzle:
2 cups sugar
¼ cup light corn syrup
½ cup water
½ cup heavy cream
2 tablespoons unsalted butter
1 tsp vanilla extract
 pinch of salt

Mix sugar, light corn syrup and water in a small saucepan. Bring to a boil over medium-high heat, stirring just until the sugar dissolves. Cook, swirling the pan (do not stir), until the mixture is light amber and a candy thermometer registers 320 degrees, 8 to 10 minutes. 

Remove from the heat; slowly whisk in heavy cream, unsalted butter, vanilla extract and a pinch of salt. Return to low heat and whisk until smooth. Let cool until the caramel is thick enough to coat a spoon. Drizzle onto the top of the doughnuts dipped in the butter glaze, top with crumbled caramel popcorn (optional) and then drizzle with caramel again.

You can find a printable version of this recipe here.

There you have it! Til' next time,