SWEET CINNAMON POPCORN
Benefits of making your own Popped Corn:
- Fast
- Cheap
- Fresher
- High fiber
- Grow your own
- Easy to freestyle
- Bold, aka not boring
- Make a little/Make a lot
- Easier to control the temp
- Adaptable to dietary restrictions
- Better Control over the ingredients used
- Electricity is not the only option for poppin
TIPS BEFORE YOU GET POPPIN ON THE STOVE
- USE A HEAVY BOTTOMED STAINLESS STEEL POT WITH A VENTED GLASS LID. THE LARGE POT ALLOWS MORE ROOM FOR THE POPCORN TO EXPAND making the lid less likely to fly off and sucker punch you in the face. (The glass lid is also great because you can watch with suspense as the kernels pop.)
- KEEP THE LID ON UNTIL IT'S DONE POPPING. If it lifts up a little to let off some STEEM, that isn't going to ruin your popcorn. Just be careful. You don't want to get a black eye, do you?
- JUDGE WHETHER ITS READY BY THE INTERVAL BETWEEN POPS YOU HEAR & BY THE SMELL. I usually take it off the heat when there is about a second to two between pops. It might continue to have a couple pops after off the heat. Don't let popcorn FOMO get the best of you.
- Once you get the hang of it YOU ARE MORE LIKELY TO POP ALL OF THE KERNELS than with microwaveable popcorn because you can adjust the heat or take the pan off the burner. Also, the way a microwave cooks is different than on the stove. (Those air poppers are the worst! Every time I use one it spits half of the kernels out like little poker hot cannon balls that occasionally explode as they make contact with my face. Ouch! Not to mention the kernels flying all over the place. Years down the road you'll still be finding them.)
- THE PAN SHOULD BE COMPLETELY DRY before turning on the burner. Moisture will make the oil violently splash which could burn you.
- STALE RANCID POPCORN IS NASTY, so don't use that. IT NEEDS TO BE COMPLETELY DRY otherwise it might not pop so it's best not to use 20 year old popcorn.
- PRO TIP: A really good method for long term storage would be to vacuum seal in a mason jar, resealing each time after opening. You can do this with a FoodSaver vacuum sealer and a Regular Mason jar attachmentor a Wide Mouth Mason jar attachment. If you're frequently opening the jar in a humid environment, put an oxygen absorber pack in it. That might be bordering on overkill but you're the Boss.
SWEET CINNAMON POPCORN
INGREDIENTS FOR POPPING:
- 2 TBSP. AVOCADO OIL (or other high heat oil or your choice)
- 4-6 TBSP CORN KERNELS (enough to cover the bottom of the pan in a single layer. It will vary based on the type of corn you are using and how big your pan is)
INGREDIENTS FOR THE CINNAMON PASTE:
- 3 TBSP AGAVE SYRUP
- 1 TBSP AVOCADO OIL
- A PINCH OF FINE SEA SALT
- 2 TBSP CINNAMON POWDER
- 1 PINCH GROUND FENUGREEK SEEDS (optional-too much will make popcorn bitter)
STOVETOP DIRECTIONS
- Lightly COAT THE BOTTOM OF THE PAN WITH OIL. Enough to cover the bottom but not so much the kernels are swimming in it. 2-3 tablespoons should be enough depending on the size of the pan you use. It's not rocket science. You'll do just fine!
- Avocado oil is my favorite because it can be used at higher heat and when lightly salted tastes very close to salted butter. If you prefer using dairy, I recommend ghee, also known as clarified butter. Strained bacon greace could work, too, if You are one of those bacon addicts
- You can either add the pinch of salt now or mix it in with the flavoring paste. If you add it now, it might make the oil spit a little in the pan but the finished popcorn will already be salted. Just keep the lid on.
- COVER THE POT with the lid. TURN THE HEAT TO MEDIUM HIGH TO HIGH. This will vary depending on your particular stove and how impatient you are. Keep in mind, the higher the temp, the faster it will pop but the more likely you are to burn it. Don't be afraid....HERE WE GO
- Stare at the lid intensely without blinking until the first kernels pop. You can help this along if you SLIDE THE PAN BACK AND FORTH over the burner. It's not necessary but I do. Maybe that's because it makes me feel like a fancy chef.
- Next put a big smile on your face but resist that urge clap your hands like a 5 year old while doing the happy dance as the first couple of kernels explode. The rest will quickly follow as if a flashmob in a mall doing the Whip and Nae Nae by Silento.
- SLIDE THE PAN BACK AND FORTH OVER THE BURNER. This is the point you will need to HOLD THE LID as if your life depends on it. Have courage. You will survive. As long as you hold onto that lid.
- You'll notice the popping WILL SLOW DOWN AND SOUND FARTHER APART, as well as how full the pan is even though you only a single layer of kernels in.
- Slide the pan faster. LISTEN FOR THE POPPING INTERVAL TO BE ABOUT ONE TO TWO SECONDS APART.
- At that point IMMEDIATELY TAKE THE PAN OFF THE BURNER while you CONTINUE TO SHAKE THE PAN VIGOROUSLY until you hear no more popping but before you smell any burning. Have a large 6 quart bowl nearby so you can QUICKLY DUMP THE POPCORN into it.
PLEASE DO NOT FORGET TO TURN OFF THE STOVE since you were likely distracted by the rapid succession of events. You do not want to have to file an insurance claim over popcorn.
SWEET CINNAMON PASTE
- Let the pan cool a bit, then WIPE OUT ANY REMAINING OIL.
- With a mortar and pestle, GRIND THE FENUGREEK SEEKS into a powder, then add to the pan to LIGHTLY TOAST OVER MEDIUM HEAT stirring as you heat it. STOP AS SOON AS YOU SMELL THE FRANGRANCE REMINICANT OF PANCAKE SYRUP. The reason you should do this is to bring out the flavor. This ingredient is optional but it adds a nice syrup flavor as long as you don't put too much. Just a little pinch. It's one of my favorite herbs because it is also medicinal. I use it when I have swollen painful lymph nodes as it is supposed to flush and cleanse the lymphatic system. I am not sure if it really does that, but it absolutely makes the swelling and pain go away. It also makes you smell like syrup!!
- MIX TOGETHER THE ALL OF INGREDIENTS TO FORM A PASTE. The mixture should be enough but you can always save any extra or make more for a rainy day. Experiment! If you cannot tell by now, this is a pretty versatile recipe which you can adjust to your liking. Easy Peezy!!
- Go ahead, give the mixture a little TASTE. This is how you will know if you like the ratio of ingredients. Not sweet enough? Add more agave.
- PUT THE POPCORN in A PAPER GROCERY BAG, 2 GALLON ZIPLOC BAG, OR IN A 6 QUART BOWL. If you mix in a bowl you will probably break up some of the popcorn but, hey, it all eats the same, right?
- DRIZZLE HALF OF THE MIXTURE OVER THE POPCORN. Close the bag leaving air inside so there room for the popcorn to move around as you SHAKE IT. The bag method is the most efficient and least messy, imo.
- GIVE IT A TASTE. If half of the mixture is not enough, go all in with the rest of the mixture. In my experience, because I phestyle a lot of recipes, the end result is better if I season in small batches. Besides, if making this snack for more than one person, each person might like it more or less flavored.
TUH-DAAAHHH!!!
ALTERNATIVE DIY MICROWAVEABLE
Just so you know it will be less fun. Be Bold, or be boring. The choice is your.
In a LARGE PAPER GROCERY BAG ADD THE KERNELS with just enough of the Avocado oil to cover the corn. Add the pinch of salt.
SHAKE the bag like a tambourine to LIGHTLY AND EVENLY COAT ALL OF THE KERNELS WITH OIL.
FOLD THE END A FEW TIMES. You must MAKE SURE THE END IS SEALED.
One way you can do this is with a large tapestry needle and kitchen twine. Sew the folded part of the bag with a 1 inch back stitch, making sure each end of string is secured with a knot. Alternatively, you can tape with good quality masking tape. The point is to keep the bag from bursting open. Pop as you would any other microwaveable popcorn. Listen for 1-2 second interval between pops, then remove, wait for any remaining kernels to pop. At this point you can rip off the sewn folded end of the bag. You are ready for step 5.
