Because the popcorn is the main ingredient here, we want the best flavor and texture so we pop our own. Our Movie Night kernels would work great but we especially love the large, round shape of the Mushroom kernels in this recipe. And we do salt our popcorn but feel free to add another pinch of salt to the mixture after it's coated with the marshmallows.
After you pour the mixture onto a baking sheet to cool and set (note our tip for spreading a bit of oil on your hands to make that process easier), how do you eat this? You can just leave it on the baking sheet and let everyone grab a chunk. You can break it up slightly and serve it in a large bowl. Or, if you're serving birthday cake popcorn for an actual birthday, you can pile it into cupcake liners and top with candles. How fun is that? We can't think of any kids (or adults) who wouldn't smile if this sweet, crunchy, gooey recipe was their birthday treat.
]]>The idea came up when my bestie Amy - whose family Easter Lamb Cake recipe is a classic - and I were talking about holiday baking plans. Amy said how her mom doesn’t use coconut for the fleece, because some family members don't like the flavor.
And we thought, wouldn’t it be a hoot if we could put popcorn on the outside of
the lamb cake instead? Popped popcorn is kind of fluffy, like wool. (Right?!?)
Amy and her family are Catholic. Every Easter, her mom transforms the holy trinity of flour, sugar and butter into this lamb-shaped cake, and uses two licorice jelly beans for eyes and a pink jelly bean for a nose. The lamb pan her Mom uses belonged to her mother, Amy's grandmother.
The cake is one way her family celebrates the end of Lent - the time for Catholics to enjoy dessert again. After the adults feast on ham, and the kids dive into the mac-and-cheese, someone takes up the honor of tearing off the lamb cake head and serves slices of the body all around.
Her family's not alone. As Easter approaches, households around the world prepare to celebrate with various customs and traditions. Among these, one delicious tradition stands out: the Easter Lamb Cakes. These delightful treats not only tantalize the taste buds but also carry a rich history that adds layers of meaning to the celebration.
Easter Lamb Cakes, often crafted from a cake mold in the shape of a lamb, symbolize the sacrificial lamb in Christian theology. While the exact origins of such Lamb Cakes are unclear, the tradition may have evolved from ancient pagan rituals that celebrated the arrival of spring and the renewal of life.
Baking an Easter Lamb Cake requires a little patience and a lot of fun. The base cake recipe is pretty simple - similar to a pound cake, but flavored with vanilla, almond, or citrus zest to add a touch of brightness. Once mixed, the batter is poured into lamb-shaped molds, which can range from traditional metal molds to more modern silicone varieties.
After baking to golden perfection, the cakes are carefully removed from their molds and allowed to cool. This is where the real artistry begins. With a delicate hand, you'll crumb-coat your Easter Lamb Cake with a layer of sweet buttercream frosting - and of course, the popcorn "wool".
So this Easter, why not try your hand at making your own lamb cake? Whether you stick to tradition or put your own spin on the recipe, the result is sure to be a delightful addition to your celebrations.
We know the iconic snack includes caramel coated popcorn with a molasses flavor (molasses is listed as an ingredient on their package) and salted, roasted peanuts. Of course it also includes a prize but we'll let you add one on your own. We're fine with the delicious treat being the prize.
The Cracker Jack slogan used to be "the more you eat the more you want" and we can absolutely say that's true. Although we kind of feel that way about all of our popcorn creations. As far as we know the original recipe was created by a Chicago merchant in the 1800's who was selling sugar coated popcorn. But which merchant exactly is apparently the subject of some heated debate. In 1907, the song Take Me Out to the Ball Game was released and included the line "buy me some peanuts and Cracker Jack" which is how the snack became associated with baseball. Most of our baseball watching is on TV from the comfort of our sofa so we're happy to make our own recipe for this snack and enjoy it at home.
We start with our mushroom kernels which pop up round and fat. Then we make a sugar syrup with molasses. You can roast your own peanuts or just buy a jar of good, roasted and salted ones. Great in this recipe and just for snacking. After everything is combined it gets a slow bake in a low oven to seal the sugar coating to the popcorn and peanuts. The final touch is our own spin which is to sprinkle with our salted caramel popcorn seasoning. It gives you that salty finish but with the toasty flavor of salted caramel. Better than the original? Make it and tell us if you think so.
]]>The classic recipe for muddy buddies just uses Chex mix cereal but, of course, we need to add popcorn to everything. Our only concern was if the popcorn would stay crunchy and for how long. Good news and more good news because it stayed crunchy along with the Chex mix. We can't really tell you at what point the whole mix would get soggy because we couldn't keep it around long enough to find out.
But back to the basics of the recipe which is peanut butter melted together with chocolate chips. Some recipes also call for melted butter but we didn't find that it was needed. You pour the melted mixture over the popcorn and cereal, stir really, really, really well and then pour into large plastic bags. It's going to be a little messy but who cares, right? Then you add powdered sugar and shake the hell out of it until every nook and cranny is covered. We like to spread it out on a sheet pan to cool and dry a bit, add a little salt and then dig right in.
You can use whichever kind of Chex cereal (there are so many) you like. When we were browsing in the cereal aisle we spotted peanut butter Chex and didn't even know those existed. It made our decision pretty easy though. When there's a question of peanut butter or not peanut butter, our answer is always yes, peanut butter. We used our Movie Night popcorn kernels because we love how big and fluffy and crunchy they pop.
So this snack is sweet and salty and crunchy and chocolaty and peanut buttery. Um, we need to go make more.
]]>Given this little obsession, it's no surprise that a spicy Cajun popcorn seasoning was one of our first products. And when we're settling in to watch a movie, NOLA themed or not, it's probably the flavor we reach for the most. Our recipe for this blend is a salty and spicy flavor kick with all the heat you expect from Louisiana cooking but without scorching your taste buds.
The keys to making really amazing spicy Cajun popcorn are to use our gourmet kernels, pop them fresh and season generously. And the key to making sure all the popcorn is properly seasoned and you don't have naked popcorn and a bunch of seasoning at the bottom of the bowl is to make sure it adheres.
When you pop our popcorn on the stovetop using oil, you already have a good surface for seasoning to stick so the extra butter is optional - but very delicious. If, however, you're using an air popper or microwave popper with no oil, you absolutely need to give the seasoning a way to adhere to the popcorn. Melted butter is the tastiest option but, if you're trying to cut fat and calories, an olive oil mister can also work. Just be sure to get a good coating of spray on the popcorn before adding the seasoning. There are also butter flavored popcorn sprays which allow you to get the flavor of butter but control the amount.
Any of our gourmet popcorn kernels would work fine in this recipe. We used our Rainbow kernels which is a popcorn variety that naturally grows all different colored kernels. You get a classic "corny" taste with a crunchy texture, white when it pops, and with a slightly colored tint in the center, depending on the color of the kernel.
So pour a glass of something refreshing, pick a movie to watch and make a batch of our spicy Cajun popcorn recipe. Let us know what you think!
]]>Chocolate bark is one of those recipes that seems fancy and complicated when you see it pre-made but is actually very simple to make at home. You'll need three bars of chocolate. We love including ruby for the red color and white chocolate for the impressive swirl. The third bar is up to you. You can stick with a red and white theme or go for some more traditional chocolate. Milk, semi-sweet or even dark chocolate work great, depending on your personal taste. We think that keeping the white bar in the middle of the pan makes the prettiest swirl effect.
A quick melt in the oven and then start swirling, as much as you want. While the chocolate is still warm and melty, sprinkle on a generous amount of toppings. We love some crunch so popcorn is a must. Then a handful of red M&M's and any fun Valentine sprinkles we've got around. Place the pan in the fridge for a quick set and then break it up. It's fun to get different sizes and shapes. Serve the bark as is or grab some small cellophane bags and a bit of red ribbon to make goodie bags for your Valentines and Galantines.
We used our Dell Cove Spices Cupid Kisses popcorn kernels and popped them on the stovetop. The kernels are a dark red but pop white with a slightly red center and tons of great flavor. Plus the packaging is sexy as hell so we add a bag as part of our gift giving. It goes without saying that you should make an extra batch for yourself, right?
]]>To make your s’mores popcorn, the shopping list is simple: popcorn, butter, mini marshmallows, graham crackers, chocolate chips, and Dell Cove® Chocolate Caramel and Kettle Corn popcorn seasonings. We found that the caramel flavor pairs well with this dish, and the hint of sea salt in the Kettle Corn popcorn seasoning helps round out some of the sweetness of this recipe.
Don’t have graham crackers in your pantry? I’ve made this recipe with leftover Cinnamon Toast Crunch cereal, with much success. Want to make this treat gluten free? That is an easy fix. Swap out the standard graham crackers for a gluten free graham cracker, like those made by Kinnikinnick. Need to make this recipe dairy-free, because you are lactose intolerant? Instead of using melted butter, try using ghee – which is butter fat, but is lactose free.
]]>This one is definitely sweet so think of it as dessert in a glass. We use marshmallow vodka and there isn't really a good substitute for it so go ahead a purchase a bottle. Once you taste it, you'll find other uses for it. You'll also need some Easter sprinkles to rim the glass and, of course a bag of Peeps. We're fond of the pink bunnies but, you do you.
Most Easter or marshmallow cocktails don't contain any chocolate but we found that the sweetness needed something extra. You won't actually taste the crème de cacao but it adds a depth of flavor that's not there without it. The same amount of chocolate liqueur would work just as well to break up the cloying sweetness but still give you that creamy, marshmallow taste.
Naturally, it wouldn't be us if we didn't add popcorn flavor with our signature recipe for popcorn milk. We love infusing milk with our popcorn to use as a base for drinks and desserts. And while Easter Peeps marshmallows may be a kid favorite, this is definitely an adult treat. But that doesn't mean it can't be made kid-friendly. Just leave out the vodka, add a little extra popcorn milk and some chocolate syrup to replace the crème de cacao.
We used melted white chocolate to rim the glass because the Easter sprinkles are heavier than plain sugar or cocktail salt so you need something thicker. But, of course, the sweet delicious flavor of white chocolate is a great compliment to this drink so it works out perfectly. If you don't have any white chocolate, a bit of canned cake frosting will also work.
]]>Cheese balls were super popular with hostesses in the 50's, 60's and 70's but then began being considered old fashioned. Then again, the classic cocktail party idea is old fashioned but we love those. Are they making a comeback? They are in our house and we're definitely serving cheese balls.
So what is in a cheese ball, exactly? It starts with a base of soft cheese, usually cream cheese along with shredded harder cheese. Cheddar is probably the most popular but here is where you can get creative. Any good shredding cheese, such as Gouda, Gruyere, Manchego, etc. will work. You need something soft to help it mix together and it's usually either sour cream or mayonnaise. Some freshness from herbs such as parsley or chives and some spices like garlic powder, onion powder and black pepper. Here is where we infused extra flavor into ours by using our popcorn seasonings to add the flavor.
Once everything is fully incorporated, you form small (or large) balls. We used a cookie scoop to make them uniform and chose the 1 1/2 oz. size for a healthy portion. That netted us 8 cheese balls but you can use a 1 oz. scoop and get about a dozen.
Finally, the wow factor of cheese balls comes from rolling them in various toppings. Bacon is common as are nuts. We went with thick cut, smoky bacon and our Baby White popcorn. When you dip a cracker into the cheese ball you get the soft, flavorful center plus the crunch of the toppings and are left to wonder why these ever went out of style. Bring back the cheese balls!
]]>
We're assuming you don't need much convincing to order a chocolate martini when you see it on a menu. And Valentine's Day is a good excuse to whip up a batch at home, too. It's traditionally a vodka based drink with chocolate liqueur, creme de cacao and Irish cream served in a glass decorated with chocolate syrup. Is it a cocktail or a dessert? Do you drink it before dinner or after? Who cares because it's delicious. Do both, we say!
The drink has been around for quite a few years and the legend goes that it was created by movie stars Rock Hudson and Elizabeth Taylor in 1955. They were filming the movie, Giant, and decided to combine their two favorite things which were chocolate and martinis.
We have no idea if that story is true although, based on a little research, it does seem to be. But we were drinking chocolate martinis while researching so we're not committing to it.
Obviously it's not a real martini which is defined as gin or vodka and vermouth by purists. Or just gin and vermouth by extra purists. We're not taking sides. But the current trend is to call drinks martinis if they're served in martini glasses so that's what we did.
We gave the recipe our own spin by doing a chocolate rim with shaved chocolate, adding whipped cream on top and, most importantly, using our home made chocolate popcorn liqueur. If you've tried our Popcorn Espresso Martini and our Popcorn French 75 recipes then you've seen our popcorn syrup technique. For this drink, we added cocoa powder but the principle is the same. We steep popcorn in the syrup overnight to infuse with flavor. So it's chocolaty and popcorny and fabulous.
]]>The "dirt" is made up of crushed chocolate sandwich cookies. And, if you've seen real dirt, you know it's full of white pebbles. But, of course, popcorn is way tastier. The filling is a delicious concoction of cream cheese, pudding and whipped topping. No baking needed. Just alternate layers of dirt and filling. Then top the final layer of dirt with our popcorn gravel, some gummy worms and maybe a creepy skull or two.
You don't have to serve this in a flower pot but why not, right? It looks great and you can either use one large pot or use mini pots to create individual servings. It's the perfect spooky Halloween treat but we love it year round, maybe without the skulls. Maybe.
]]>The filling is creamy peanut butter mixed with a little butter, salt and powdered sugar. We then fill each truffle with popcorn. And yes, it does actually stay crunchy. Finally the little truffles are coated with melted chocolate. You can use milk, semi-sweet or dark chocolate, depending on your personal taste. Finally, we top each truffle with a sprinkling of our salted caramel popcorn seasoning. Sure, you can just use regular sea salt. But we like the sweet and salty flavor of the seasoning and it does go with the popcorn theme. Finally, the truffles take a quick chill in the fridge and are ready to serve.
You get the sweet, creamy, peanut buttery filling. A lovely crunch when you bite into the popcorn and a topping of rich chocolate. It’s like a candy bar in truffle form! Serve it as an after dinner treat for guests or just keep a batch in the fridge for snacking. Our recipe makes about 8 balls but, um, you should probably double the recipe. Or triple it. Let’s just say you’ll be remaking it often.
]]>The first step to making mac and cheese is to make the cheese sauce. This basic béchamel recipe has lots of uses and cheese sauces can be poured over lots of dishes. It starts with a simple mixture of butter and flour, then milk and then cheese. Some seasoning for flavor but that’s basically it. A cheese sauce!
We love that extra sharp classic taste of cheddar cheese along with some Parmesan for a salty kick. But feel free to customize. Our other go-to for mac is smoked Gouda, with Gruyere coming in a close third. You can also mix a variety of cheeses but we try to stick to no more than two or three because otherwise the flavors can get muddled. We’d also keep to full fat butter and milk for a cheese sauce because that will help it thicken and develop that velvety texture.
As for the pasta, feel free to choose whatever shape you like. Orecciatte is one of our favorites for mac and cheese because the shape holds on to a lot of sauce. But ziti also works wonderfully. If you were going for a baked mac with a crunchy top, you’d have to combine butter and breadcrumbs, sprinkle the mixture over the top and bake for 15 to 20 minutes. But that’s a lot of extra time when we could be digging into our dinner. Adding popcorn to the top gives us that satisfying crunch, along with an extra generous sprinkling of Parmesan cheese, while still keeping the creaminess of stove top mac and cheese.
This combination of textures and flavors is going into regular dinner rotation at our house and, maybe, also at yours?
]]>The combination of sweet and salty is our favorite which is why we love our chocolate caramel popcorn seasoning. But as we were reaching for the bag, we realized we wanted even more chocolate. What can we say. It was that kind of day. Brownies pack a big chocolate punch so we decided they would make a great base. Sure, you can use a brownie mix out of a box. They’re pretty good. But, seriously, it’s really, really easy to make brownies from scratch. You don’t even need a mixer.
You can bake them till they’re done, meaning a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Or you can pull them while the inside is still a little gooey because gooey chocolate is the best.
Next we need the crunchy, peanut buttery topping. Just warm your favorite peanut butter in the microwave until it’s pourable, stir in the peanuts and stir in the popcorn. Try to make your best effort to not just eat it from the bowl. Actually, this recipe makes a little more than you need to top the brownies because we know you’re going to eat some from the bowl. Or, at least, we did.
The final result is a layer of rich chocolate brownies topped with a crunchy, peanut butter creation that you’re going to want to make again and again. We take no responsibility for the lack of self control with this one.
]]>Most people stop there but, if we can add a popcorn crunch, we always do. We love the texture of the popcorn against the soft creaminess of the cake. And with so much sweetness, a little sprinkle of our sweet and salty caramel seasoning is always welcome.
]]>If you ask us to quickly name two things we really like eating, the words cheesecake and popcorn would immediately come to mind. So naturally we wondered if we could make a cheesecake popcorn. Of course we can, what a silly question.
We sat down to create the recipe by thinking of the key flavors and ingredients of cheesecake and those are sugar, cream cheese and the graham cracker crust. Those get bound together with a custard of eggs and sour cream when baking a cheesecake so we needed to find another base for those flavors. A form of caramel seemed ideal because it uses sugar and dairy, usually heavy cream. So could we substitute some of the heavy cream with cream cheese? Well, we tried it and we loved it.
The caramel takes on an enriched, extra creamy cheesecake style flavor that, quite frankly, we’d be happy to just eat with a spoon. But in between spoonfuls, we stirred in some of our freshly popped Move Theater style popcorn and then spread it out on a sheet pan to dry. We added crumbled graham crackers to represent the crust and we had ourselves a cheesecake flavored popcorn snack.
It’s really tempting to just eat this right off the sheet pan where its drying but, if you can manage to resist, it will be so much better after the cheesecake caramel coating has dried and adhered to the popcorn. Or, if you can’t resist, maybe make a double batch so you can have your snack both now and later. We may or may not do it that way around here. We’re not telling but we also won’t be judging.
]]>If you love both popcorn and ice cream then our recipe for popcorn ice cream is about to become your new favorite treat. You’ve got the sweet, rich, creaminess of vanilla ice cream and the corny flavor of freshly popped popcorn. Together it makes the most flavorful dessert.
Homemade ice cream can be made with either a cooked egg custard base or a no-cook, dairy only base. This particular recipe uses dairy only but, one of these days, we’ll make the other version as well. Custard ice creams have a richer mouth feel but the dairy only style is much faster to make.
The key to getting the popcorn flavor is in our recipe for popcorn milk. If you’ve tried our recipes for Pink Gin Popcorn Shots, Pumpkin Smoothie, or Caramel Panna Cotta then you’re already familiar with our method. You can infuse the milk with popcorn flavor either with a low and slow cook or, overnight, in the fridge. The latter is how we usually do it.
A traditional, dairy-only, ice cream recipe is quick and easy. Once we have our popcorn milk ready, the rest of the process is very fast.
Just add the popcorn milk, whatever other dairy you’re using, heavy cream in our case, along with sugar, vanilla and a touch of salt to an ice cream maker. When you’re making ice cream at home, you can choose how light or rich to make it by the type of dairy you use. If you opt for only milk you’ll get a lighter ice cream whereas heavy cream alone will result in a rich, super-premium style ice cream. We like a combination of cream and full fat whole milk for a great balance.
As for the home ice cream maker, you have a choice of two styles. Machines with a built-in compressor do not need to be kept in the freezer but are bulkier and more expensive. If space is a consideration, a smaller model works great but you’ll need to keep the bowl in the freezer for at least 24 hours prior to churning the ice cream. We normally just keep the bowl tucked in the back of the freezer at all times for any last minute ice cream emergency needs.
The consistency right out of the machine is like a soft serve and it’s very tempting to eat. But it will be better if you give it a couple of hours in the freezer for more of a traditional ice cream texture. Top it with chocolate sauce, crunchy popcorn and a dusting of our chocolate caramel popcorn seasoning for a hit of sweet and salty. We promise you’ll be hooked.
]]>When it comes to breakfast, people either tend to favor pancakes or waffles. Of course it’s possible to love both and we certainly do. So it just depends what mood we’re in. And today we are 100% in a waffle kind of mood. Furthermore, we’re in a salted caramel popcorn waffles mood because it’s our new combination obsession.
Waffles are made from a leavened dough, usually using baking powder for the rise, and then cooked between two hot metal plates that have surface indentations. That gives the waffles their characteristic pattern and all the nooks where delicious maple syrup can pool.
You can buy frozen waffles, of course, and just heat them up in a toaster or oven. But we don’t think the taste holds up to homemade. Fortunately, waffle irons are not expensive and many are small so they don’t take up valuable space in a small kitchen. The batter itself is very easy to make and you don’t even need an electric mixer. Just a whisk and a little elbow grease is all that’s needed. In fact, the waffles come out better when the batter is still a bit lumpy so hand whisking is ideal.
We tweaked a few different waffle recipes to come up with one that is thick but still fluffy and tender. We absolutely insist that all waffles need some kind of sauce because that’s the whole point of their shape. We wanted salted caramel vibes for this recipe so caramel sauce instead of maple syrup is definitely an option. We also tried mixing the two sauces and really liked that too. And, of course, everything needs a crunch so we topped our waffles with freshly popped popcorn and then sprinkled on some sweet and salty caramel popcorn seasoning.
Do you absolutely need a scoop of vanilla ice cream on top? Technically no but, also yes. We think you do.
]]>It’s almost summer and we’re dreaming of s’mores! There is nothing wrong with the chocolate, marshmallow and graham cracker classic except that it doesn’t include our favorite popcorn snack. No worries, though, because we’re totally going to fix that with these s’mores popcorn bars. Think s’more meets a Rice Krispy treat meets popcorn.
If you saw our Valentine’s Day popcorn bars (find the recipe here) then you know we loved substituting popcorn for the Rice Krispies cereal. The technique is the same using melted butter, marshmallows and lots of stirring. Once you’re made these sticky bars, you know it’s quite easy to do, albeit, sticky. Using popcorn instead of cereal gives you a lovely crunch and that great popcorn flavor.
But back to one of our favorite summer treats which is s’mores – that very American treat of toasted marshmallow and chocolate nestled between two graham crackers. It’s a wonderful flavor combination and there’s no reason not to add other ingredients to it. In this case, the ingredient is popcorn which brings a wonderful crunch to the party.
Instead of just adding the popcorn and marshmallow mixture into a baking pan to set, we made a graham cracker crust with some melted butter. Then we mixed pieces of Hershey’s chocolate, a s’mores favorite, into the mixture. After we poured it into the pan, we topped it with extra pieces of chocolate, some crumbled up graham crackers and even more marshmallows.
We definitely wanted some of that charred marshmallow flavor so we used a kitchen torch on them. You can also put the whole pan under the broiler for a couple of minutes. To us, that almost burned flavor on the marshmallows is an important ingredient in the flavor of a s’mores, as is the gooey texture. So you’ve got the delicious base, a sweet, crunchy popcorn and marshmallow center and the traditional s’mores fixings on top. Definitely a kicked up s’more.
]]>When we think of nachos, we think of the Mexican dish of fried tortilla chips covered with cheese and, often, a whole lot of toppings. Our version, popcorn nachos, replaces the chips with our fluffy movie theater popcorn. Still crunchy, still great with cheese, healthier than fried chips and, also, our favorite snack.
The options for nacho toppings are endless. Beef and grilled chicken are common, as are salsa, tomatoes, beans, corn, chili peppers, olives, sour cream, avocado, guacamole and herbs plus probably a dozen more we haven’t thought of.
The dish originated in the early 1940’s by a man named Ignacio Anaya (Nacho is the common nickname for Ignacio). As the story goes, he worked at the Victory Club restaurant in a Mexican town just over the border from Texas. A customer asked if he could bring her and her friends a snack. Anaya cut some tortillas into triangles, fried them, added shredded cheese and sliced pickled jalapeno peppers then served them to the ladies. When asked what the dish was called, he responded ‘Nacho’s special.’ He eventually opened his own restaurant and his recipe for ‘nachos’ was printed in a cookbook in the 1950’s.
The new snack dish quickly became popular and variations abounded. Anaya himself died in 1975 and his town erected a plaque in his honor. October 21 was declared International Nacho Day.
Some variations are closer to the spirit of the original snack than others. Adding browned ground beef and grilled chicken or steak is common. In the southern United States, nachos are frequently topped with barbeque sauce, pulled pork and jalapeños or hot sauce. In ballparks, stadiums and other concession stands, the cheese is often a pumped cheese sauce thus making for quick preparation. There are even dessert nachos, usually with cinnamon sugar added to the fried tortilla chips.
We love every form of nachos but, for this recipe, we wanted to keep to the original tradition of it being a quick and easy snack. But, of course, we changed up one of the original key ingredients. Tortilla chips are delicious but can also get soggy quickly. We’ve found that baking the popcorn with a layer of cheese stays crunchy for quite a bit longer. We kept the toppings quick and light with black beans (canned is fine), freshly chopped tomatoes, fresh guacamole and dollops of sour cream. We added chopped cilantro for that fresh Mexican herb taste. However, before you come for us that it tastes like soap to you, substituting parley is just fine.
Although we left off the fresh jalapenos, we replaced them with our white cheddar and jalapeno popcorn seasoning. The salty, cheesy, slightly spicy blend is perfect to top this quick and delicious snack.
]]>We’ve all eaten churros, right? If not, go get some immediately because they are insanely delicious. They’re sort of doughnut like, in the sense that they are essentially sweetened and fried dough. But also not like doughnuts because the batter is completely different. They’re made with choux pastry, the same type used to make cream puffs. But, instead of being baked, the dough is placed in a pastry bag and piped into hot oil. Once fried, they are tossed in cinnamon sugar to coat. The surface of churros is usually ridged as a result of being piped through a star tip and that gives more crevices to hold the sugar. So good, right? Can we recreate the flavors in popcorn? Yes, yes we can. Our churro popcorn comes really close to the aroma and flavor of a fried churro but without the frying.
Churros likely originated in Spain and Portugal but soon made their way to Mexico. In the US, you’ll usually find them on the dessert menu of Mexican restaurants and they’re definitely our choice to have with a margarita when we’re celebrating Cinco de Mayo.
Dessert aside, they’re also sometimes eaten for breakfast or just as a sweet afternoon snack. Our popcorn version is definitely a snack although, if you want to eat popcorn for breakfast, we are not here to judge you. The churros are sometimes presented alongside either a cup of hot cocoa or a bowl of chocolate sauce to be used as a dip. Likewise we love our churro popcorn dipped into chocolate sauce.
We start with a fresh batch of either our Movie Theater popcorn or our mushroom kernels because we are looking for large, fluffy popcorn as the end result. Then we add the flavors of dough by combining butter, sugar and cinnamon, along with a pinch of salt, of course. Salt always brings out flavor.
Then we toss our freshly popped popcorn into the sweet mixture and stir really well until all the kernels are coated. At this point it already tastes great but not yet fully like a churro. Just as the fried dough needs the coating of cinnamon sugar, so does our popcorn. Combining both granulated and powdered sugar with the cinnamon helps it adhere and more closely replicate the fried dough flavor. Pour the cinnamon sugar on generously and then spread the popcorn out to dry a bit. It will get a lovely crunch, slightly similar to the crisp texture of a churro. And the sugary topping will complete the experience.
Don’t forget the chocolate sauce, store bought or homemade. Use what you like. But when you get a taste of the churro popcorn with a dab of chocolate sauce, you’ll swear you were digging into a plate of churros.
]]>Without a doubt, coffee cake is a hugely popular dessert and it is no secret that the crunchy streusel topping is a big part of the appeal. So we figured we’d go one better with a popcorn topped coffee cake to add to the crunch.
Contrary to their name, coffee cakes do not actually contain any coffee. They’re just said to be a great match with a cup of it. You can find recipes for all sorts of varieties but the most common American version is a sour cream cake that’s leavened with either baking powder or baking soda. The predominant flavor is cinnamon, both in the batter and in the streusel topping.
Streusel is the German word for sprinkle and Germany is likely the origin of this dessert. The crumbly butter, flour and sugar topping is sprinkled on the cake before baking. Some recipes also call for extra cinnamon sugar to be sprinkled on top after the cake has baked. In some versions, you’ll also find a layer of it baked into the middle. German immigrants brought their recipes for kaffekuchen to America, probably in the mid 1800’s, and it became popular.
These days you can find coffee cake on many restaurant and bakery menus in addition to it being a home baked favorite. The soft, moist cake, aroma of cinnamon and sugary crunch on top is definitely one of our personal favorites. But, you know we love a bigger crunch and popcorn fits the bill. We top our cake with a generous amount of popped corn and then pour on a simple glaze for a flavor punch. Make extra popcorn and serve it on the side because we can practically guarantee it will be devoured.
]]>Our pink gin layered popcorn shots for a bachelorette party are the perfect way to celebrate a bride’s last single night out. The recipe combines the kick of gin, the creaminess of milk, which, in our case, is popcorn flavored milk, and the sweetness of grenadine syrup. And, of course, the layers make it gorgeous to look at and fun.
We think all cocktails need a snack and it’s no secret that popcorn is always our choice. But, in keeping with the pink bachelorette theme, we’re garnishing this drink with our pink popcorn. You can grab the recipe here and be sure to make extra because it’s sweet and salty and irresistible.
The fun of this drink, apart from its tones of pink and cream, is the layered effect. But it’s not hard to recreate. The key to making layered drinks is to start with the heaviest liquid on the bottom and that’s always going to be the one with the most sugar. Grenadine is a non-alcoholic syrup, typically made from pomegranates, used to sweeten cocktails. You can make your own but we vote for just buying some at the supermarket and that will be your heaviest liquid.
Next comes anything creamy which, in our case, is our signature popcorn flavored milk. Because why drink plain when you can add popcorn flavor? The spirit is usually the lightest and, therefore, the top of a layered drink. We went with pink gin both for its color and flavor.
So, what makes the gin pink, you ask? Regular gin is primarily flavored with juniper berries and gives the gin a distinctive fragrance. Pink gins are infused with fruits and/or herbs that give it a tint ranging from light pink to a bluish lavender. The taste of the gin is more complex and, of course, the color is fun.
The final trick to layering drinks is to pour each layer slowly over the back of a spoon. That helps to keep the new liquid floating above what’s already there as opposed to mixing in. It may not be fully precise but the overall effect will be layered and guaranteed to get oohs and aahs from guests. Be sure to serve extra pink popcorn on the side for tasty snacking.
]]>What would Easter be without a sweet and salty bunny bait snack? But we go it one better with popcorn bunny bait for Easter because every snack is better with popcorn.
So, what exactly is bunny bait? Nope, it’s not food for your pet bunny although bunny might like it. This one is definitely a treat for the kids, and, of course, we’re including adult kids in that description. Typically, bunny bait is an Easter themed snack mix made with salty pretzels, chocolate candies, sprinkles, melted chocolate, nuts and cereal squares. In our version, we exchanged the crunchy cereal for crunchy popcorn because, as everyone knows, we’re a little popcorn obsessed around here. And it really is the perfect crunchy snack.
The combination of ingredients yields a sticky, salty, sweet mixture that hardens when it dries so that you can break it up into pieces to grab for a snack. We also love gifting homemade bait by putting a few pieces in a plastic or cellophane baggie, adding a colorful ribbon and a nice holiday note. Grab an inexpensive Easter basket from a local store and fill it with the cellophane bags to hand out to guests, or delivery people, who drop by. Who wouldn’t be happy to get one?
Of course, these snack mixes are very customizable. If you’re concerned about the peanuts, just use cashews or almonds instead. Or make some bags with nuts and some without for those folks with nut allergies. And do raid the Easter candy aisle at the store for fun mix-ins. We’d avoid soft candies, like gummies or jelly beans for this. But any candy with a shell, like M&M’s or crispy chocolate eggs are perfect. We crush some of them up a bit before adding them in to get a variety of textures.
The broken pretzels add the right amount of salt but, if you’re leaving those out, a sprinkle of coarse sea salt will also work. Chocolate coated pretzels? Definitely!
Because the only cooking involved is melting some candy in the microwave, this recipe is great for making with kids. The only hard part is resisting to urge to eat it all before it dries enough to break into pieces. Our solution? Make more than one batch.
Special thanks to Cooking Panda for the recipe!
]]>It’s March and that means it’s Shamrock Shake season! Oh, you know the one we mean. That minty, green milkshake we fell in love with at McDonald’s so many years ago. As it turns out, it’s actually around half a century ago because the shamrock shake was first introduced in the 1970’s. Did you know it wasn’t originally mint flavored? The first version used vanilla ice cream and lemon/lime sherbet. The next iteration eliminated the citrus and was just a green vanilla shake. But the most recent version includes the now signature mint flavor that goes with the green color. We can’t find anything not to love about a milkshake no matter what color it is. But we also can’t not look for ways to popcorn it up because we always want a crunch. So, while McDonald’s may not offer this, yet, our homemade popcorn shamrock shake is the default standard in our house.
An important question – boozy or not boozy? Obviously the McDonald’s shake is not alcoholic but we’re never against a little spirits boost. Whiskey, vodka and rum would all pair well with the creamy ingredients but we just went with a little crème de menthe for a touch of booze plus the minty flavor and green color. Note that, unless you use a lot of the liqueur, and we don’t recommend that, you’ll still need to add green food color.
Speaking of the color, McDonald’s uses a proprietary syrup that includes the color and the flavor. But it’s easy enough to replicate with green food color and some mint extract. Be careful with the mint because a little extract goes a long way. And, if you’re using the crème de menthe, you probably don’t need any.
And now for the popcorn part. We don’t just want the crunch on top but the added flavor of popcorn in the shake itself. Our recipe for popcorn infused milk adds the perfect flavor touch to this treat.
]]>We love making different colors of popcorn because it’s such a great snack for almost any occasion. So why shouldn’t it be a color coordinated snack as well, right? It’s hard not to smile when you see bowls full of colorful popcorn at a party and even harder not to smile when that color is a sweet baby pink. Why do we want pink popcorn, exactly. Apart from the cuteness of it, that is. What better way to welcome a newborn baby girl or announce her imminent arrival at a gender reveal party or baby shower? Before we made our red popcorn for Valentine’s Day (find the recipe here), we watched a lot of online colored popcorn tutorials and, um, so many of them were wrong. If you want a nicely saturated color while retaining the crunchy crispness of the popcorn, the colorful coating needs to be baked on. We also couldn’t help but notice how popular our blue baby shower popcorn recipe is (find it here). So, here then, is how to make pink popcorn.
We make colored popcorn by cooking butter, sugar, salt and a little water together until the sugar has dissolved. Then we add the food color. You can find pink gel color but you’ll probably have an easier time finding red in your regular supermarket. Either will work fine but keep in mind that you want to start slowly with red. Just one or two drops and then see if you’re happy with the shade of pink. Too much of the red color and it will be hard to go back to pink without adding more syrup and more popcorn. Once you’re happy with the color, toss in the popped popcorn, stir well, spread out on a baking sheet and give it a few minutes in the oven to cook the candy coating onto the popcorn. Once out of the oven, it will harden back to it’s crunchy form as it cools.
What are some great uses for pink popcorn? We love it just for fun but, especially for little girl baby showers or gender reveal parties when a daughter is on her way. We also think it makes a cute gift for friends, neighbors and, especially expectant mamas. Place the popcorn in a jar, tie it with a pink ribbon and watch everyone’s face light up when they receive it.
]]>Give us a sweet and salty, tasty snack but make it festive. OK, you got it! We’re going to teach you how to make gold popcorn or, at least, gold looking. Sure there are some recipes out there that use actual gold leaf to decorate cakes and popcorn but, hey, we’re working on a budget here. Besides, it may be edible but it doesn’t really sound all that delicious. Another option is to spray the popcorn with edible gold spray. That’s probably OK but still doesn’t sound overly delicious.
But you know what does sound delicious? White chocolate and sanding sugar, gold toned of course, and candy sprinkles, also in gold tones. We’ll save the actual gold for our jewelry. Why do you need gold toned popcorn, you ask? Our usual answer is – why not? But, really, are you maybe throwing an Oscars viewing party and want to stay with the theme? Or a New Year’s Eve party that you want to make extra festive? Or, actually, any other fancy pants party where you want something more elevated than corn chips? Gold popcorn is the answer to all these questions.
We’ve convinced you, right? So, all you need to do is pop a batch of our amazing movie theater popcorn, melt some white chocolate and stir in gold sanding sugar or luster dust until it shimmers. Then pour it over the popcorn along with some salt because salt makes things taste good. Then top it with a bunch of gold sprinkles and here we believe that more is more because sprinkles are fun.
There are two ways to make colored popcorn. If you add food color to a sugar syrup, like we did with our red popcorn here, it needs to be baked to harden and keep the popcorn crunchy. But the method we’re using here, with chocolate, doesn’t need to be baked because the chocolate will harden on its own.
You can just serve this in big bowls and be done but we’re going to be more extra than that. While you’re picking up the gold sprinkles at the party supply store (or maybe on Amazon), go ahead and grab a pack of inexpensive gold popcorn boxes. They usually come in a flat pack and you just easily assemble the bottoms. Then fill them with the gold popcorn and set them out for guests to enjoy. Now you’re the correct amount of extra. And, for the record, you don’t have to throw a huge party to be extra with gold popcorn because it’s sweet and salty and delicious. Just make a batch for the family and put on a great movie to enjoy it with.
]]>We’re not gonna lie. Pretty much as soon as we saw those tall, jiggly Japanese soufflé pancakes all over social media, we got out our mixer and started separating eggs. Sure, we love a trend but, apart from that, they just looked so dang good. It took a while to master making these babies. It wasn’t so much the recipe, which is pretty straightforward, but the technique that took a bit of practice. But they went from novelty trend to staple pretty quickly once we got the hang of it. And since you all know we love a crunch, it should come as no surprise that we now make popcorn topped soufflé pancakes on the regular.
Normal pancakes get their fluff from some baking powder and buttermilk. They’re easy to make, come together quickly and are perfectly tasty. The Japanese version gets its extra tall volume from the fact that the eggs are separated and the whites are beaten to stiff peaks, the way one would to make a sponge cake. And extra step, to be sure. Actually two extra steps because you need to separate the eggs and beat the whites separately. Cooking them also requires some extra work. If you just ladle some batter into a hot pan or griddle, they will spread like regular pancakes. And while the consistency will be fluffier than normal, they won’t have that mile high look to them. Achieving that requires some kind of mold.
But don’t worry because no fancy equipment was needed. We just dug out our set of 3″ round metal cookie cutters and they did the trick perfectly. We cook the pancakes in the mold so as to maintain the rise, similar to the way you add tall parchment paper to the side of a ramekin to make a soufflé. But this is way easier and they won’t deflate after cooking. You’ll just have extra tall, extra fluffy and really delicious pancakes. And their soft texture is a great match to some crunchy popcorn. Please pass the maple syrup.
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