Homemade Carnival Style Sweet Kettle Popcorn

With Carnival coming up, I was thinking about what good recipe I could share? We have no shortage of great recipes for parties here at BakeAfter.com hehehe, but there aren’t that many Carnival style recipes, sooooo how about some carnival style popcorn!!!! Good for any party or to snack snuggled up watching a little movie and having a good time, right!!!!! 😀

So this recipe is for carnival or fair style popcorn, it’s pretty much the style of popcorn that they sell on fairs around portugal, it’s pretty sweet but with a hint of fennel to cut a bit the sweetness, so why not make these at home! If it’s a hit on the fairs it’s a hit on Carnival!!!! Yummmmmm

Also I think this is a fantastic way to make popcorn at home without a popcorn machine, just a regular pot on your stovetop! But… BUT! They’re not as rich in fat and sugar as fair popcorn so it’s a nice mix and also i don’t like putting all the artificial colors. So If you want that kind, just read the tips below where I explain how you can make some more… decadent popcorn ;D Let’s get to the recipe and Happy Carnival!

Homemade Carnival Style Sweet Kettle Popcorn

Servings: 4
Time: 30mins
Difficulty: Easy
Rating: ★★★★★
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Nothing beats freshly made popcorn all warm and sweet with a hint of fennel, huhummmm perfect for cozying up at the end of the year hehehehe.

Ingredients

Corn – 120g (For Popcorn)
Sugar – 120g (Or Brown Sugar)
Sunflower Oil – 40ml
Fennel – 3g (+/- 1 Heaped Teaspoon)
Salt – A Pinch

Directions

In a large pot (at least 5 liters) with a lid, add the oil and 1 corn kernel, and place over medium heat.

In a separate bowl, combine the corn, sugar, fennel, and salt.
When you hear the kernel popping, it means that the oil has reached the ideal temperature (180ºC). Remove the pan from the heat and discard that popcorn.
With the pan still off the heat, add the corn and sugar mixture, stir vigorously with a wooden spoon, close the lid.
Return the pan to medium heat and leave the lid closed but slightly ajar (if it is one of those that seals very well and you cannot leave it ajar, then put a piece of paper to prevent the lid from closing completely). While it is on the heat, keep shaking the pan with sideways and circular movements, about every 10 seconds.
When the popping sounds become less constant, like you only hear popping every 2 or 3 seconds, then most of the popcorn has popped, turn off the heat.

Pour the popcorn immediately into a large tray or a wide bowl, don’t leave it in the pan, separate it with a fork while it’s still warm so that it stays loose and the popcorn separate, and that’s it, let it cool down a little and it will be perfect! Bon appétit!

Notes & Tips: Only adding one kernel of corn initially gives you an idea of when the oil is at the right point to pop the popcorn. If you add all the corn from the beginning, a lot of it will fry slowly or burn, which won’t give you light and crunchy popcorn.

Have you noticed that popcorn machines all have a flap or some duct to let steam escape? This is because when they pop they release water vapor. If the pot is too sealed, the popcorn will get humid from the steam and you don’t want that.

The combination of fennel and salt is classic at fairs, one because the fennel flavor cuts through the sweetness of the popcorn (and so you eat more), but also the salt makes these more delicious and cuts the bitterness (from the caramel) 😀

I would say that fair-style popcorn has slightly different proportions, it’s less corn and more sugar and oil, so something like 100g (3.5 oz) of corn, 180g (6.3 oz / 1 cup) of white sugar and 70ml (4.7 tbsp) of oil. The recipe is the same, maybe you’ll have to adjust after you make it (if you think it has too much caramel or not enough, or it got too greasy), but I’d say the proportions are more or less these.

This recipe for Homemade Carnival Style Sweet Kettle Popcorn was originally created on BakeAfter.com. Esta receita de Como Fazer Pipocas Doces de Feira em Casa foi publicada em português no Iguaria.com.