Old Fashioned Popcorn Balls

Old Fashioned Popcorn Balls are made with freshly popped popcorn with a homemade butteryscotch-y candy coating using cane syrup.

When you stop to think about it, there’s a whole mess of food that we associate with fall. Just think of all the food festivals and carnivals that take place this time of year.  My goodness.  You can eat yourself silly with all the candied apples, pumpkin this-and-that, funnel cakes, pumpkin-this-and-that, smoked turkey legs, pumpkin-this-and-that and popcorn balls.

Fall reminds me of cane syrup and the times my Granddaddy would take us to see the mule drawn cane press  in Geneva, AL. We had cane syrup year round for breakfast but fall is the time for syrup making.  Big black iron pots of  cane juice  boiled away, making syrup,  as the mule did his work and walked round and round to squeeze more  juice from sugar cane. It took a lot of cane juice to make enough cane syrup for the town.

This time of the year I go a little cane syrup crazy and want to put it in everything under the sun. Well, popcorn balls are under the sun. And you need syrup for the coating.

Ring ‘er up, Voncille!  We’ve got a winner!

Popcorn balls have gone the way of candied apples in that you can find ‘lem’n dozen different gourmet versions. They’re wonderful, creative, full of flavor and character. But, today, I want plain old-fashioned popcorn balls. So, today I made plain old-fashioned popcorn balls with cane syrup. Today is a wonderful day.

For another delicious sweet popcorn treat, try Cotton Candy Popcorn .

Y’all come see us!

Old Fashioned Popcorn Balls

yield: 8 to 10 (3 inch) balls

Freshly popped popcorn  with a homemade butterscotch-y candy coating. It will remind you of Cracker Jacks minus the peanuts and the prize. As soon as you’re finished making the balls, be sure to fill up your sauce pan and mixing bowl with hot soapy water.  The candy coating gets hard pretty fast. You may substitute your favorite syrup for cane syrup.

12 cups freshly popped popcorn

1 cup granulated sugar

1/2 cup  Steen’s cane syrup

1/4 cup unsalted butter

1/2 teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

1/2 teaspoon baking soda

Place freshly popped popcorn in a big ol’ pan or bowl. I use an enamel dish pan.  You need lots of stirring room in the pan.  Don’t crowd yourself or the popcorn.

Place sugar, syrup, butter and salt in a heavy 2 quart saucepan.  Bring to boil over medium heat, stirring constantly.

Bring  the mixture comes to a full boil. Boil an additional 2 minutes and stir constantly.

Remove from heat and stir in vanilla and baking soda.

Slowly pour hot mixture over popcorn stirring constantly as you pour.  This is  easier with a helper.  One pours slowly while one stirs constantly.  Pouring slowly and stirring constantly by yourself gets a tricky.  Try patting your head and rubbing your belly at the same time.  I was by myself when I made this. I kept pouring constantly and stirring slowly.

Stir until popcorn is well coated.

Since the mixture is still warm, I find it easier to scoop out cupfuls rather than try to form the balls by hand.  Spray a 1-cup measuring cup with a non-stick spray.  Scoop out a tightly packed cupful onto waxed paper to dry and cool.  Repeat with remaining popcorn mixture.

As soon as the mixture has cooled completely, wrap individually in  plastic wrap and tie with a cute little string

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Old Fashioned Popcorn Balls

Author: Jackie Garvin

Ingredients

• Old Fashioned Popcorn Balls
• yield: 8 to 10 3 inch balls
• Freshly popped popcorn with a homemade butterscotch-y candy coating. It will remind you of Cracker Jacks minus the peanuts and the prize. As soon as you're finished making the balls be sure to fill up your sauce pan and mixing bowl with hot soapy water. The candy coating gets hard pretty fast. You may substitute your favorite syrup for cane syrup.
• 12 cups freshly popped popcorn
• 1 cup granulated sugar
• 1/2 cup Steen's cane syrup
• 1/4 cup unsalted butter
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
• 1/2 teaspoon baking soda

Instructions

• Place freshly popped popcorn in a big ol' pan or bowl. I use an enamel dish pan. You need lots of stirring room in the pan. Don't crowd yourself or the popcorn.
• Place sugar, syrup, butter and salt in a heavy 2 quart saucepan. Bring to boil over medium heat, stirring constantly.
• Bring the mixture comes to a full boil. Boil an additional 2 minutes and stir constantly.
• Remove from heat and stir in vanilla and baking soda.
• Slowly pour hot mixture over popcorn stirring constantly as you pour. This is easier with a helper. One pours slowly while one stirs constantly. Pouring slowly and stirring constantly by yourself gets a tricky. Try patting your head and rubbing your belly at the same time. I was by myself when I made this. I kept pouring constantly and stirring slowly.
• Stir until popcorn is well coated.
• Since the mixture is still warm, I find it easier to scoop out cupfuls rather than try to form the balls by hand. Spray a 1-cup measuring cup with a non-stick spray. Scoop out a tightly packed cupful onto waxed paper to dry and cool. Repeat with remaining popcorn mixture.
• As soon as the mixture has cooled completely, wrap individually in plastic wrap and tie with a cute little string

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