Honey caramel, bacon & macadamia popcorn
(Serves 8–10)
Crunchy, sweet, salty, bacony...this popcorn is the ultimate movie snack or party food. It also makes a great gift, but someone would have to pry it out of your greedy little hands first.
Ingredients
2 tablespoons olive oil
125 g rindless loin (back) bacon, diced
75 g popping corn
3 tablespoons honey
150 g caster (superfine) sugar
125 g unsalted butter, chopped
100 g salted
macadamia nuts, roughly chopped
Directions
Line a large baking tray with baking paper.
Heat 2 teaspoons of the oil in a frying pan over medium–high heat and cook the bacon for 6–8 minutes, or until very well browned and crisp. Remove with a slotted spoon and drain on paper towel.
Pour the bacon fat from the pan, plus the remaining olive oil, into a large heavy-based saucepan and place over medium heat.
After a minute or so test if the oil mixture is hot enough by adding a couple of grains of corn to the pan – they should spin slowly.
Add the corn, shake the pan to coat in the oil mixture, and cover. Shake the pan regularly until the popping ceases. Remove from the heat and tip into a large heatproof bowl.
Discard any unpopped corn and set the bowl aside.
Stir the honey, sugar and butter in a heavy-based saucepan over low heat until the sugar dissolves.
Increase the heat to medium and boil for 4–5 minutes without stirring, or until the caramel is golden brown.
Remove from the heat, stir in the macadamia nuts and bacon, and pour-over the popped corn. Working quickly, fold the mixture gently until the corn is well combined (a silicon spatula is really useful for this task).
Spread over the prepared tray and set aside for 30 minutes or until cool and set. Break into pieces to serve. Store in an airtight container in the refrigerator for 3–4 days (if there’s any left by then).
Recipe from Jack Campbell's The Little Bacon Cookbook
Picture: Billy Law