Caramel Popcorn Balls or Apples

Caramel Popcorn Balls OR Caramel Apples

Sierra Campbell - Newport Beach, CA

I'm obsessed with Caramel Apples lately and change the decoration variable for each holiday.  For Thanksgiving we used them as turkey name cards (see picture), you could do the same things with reindeer for Christmas.  (also as great gifts, wrapped in cellophane)

Ingredients
1/4 cup butter

1 cup brown sugar

1/2 cup light corn syrup

1/2 15 oz-can (2/3 cup) sweetened condensed milk

1/2 teaspoon vanilla

5 quarts popped corn, or about 5-6 apples

(I usually double or triple this for the caramel apples)

Instructions
In saucepan, combine butter, sugar and corn syrup.  Stir well and bring to boiling over medium heat.  Stir in condensed milk; simmer, stirring constantly, until mixture comes to soft ball stage (234 to 238 degrees).  ** This is important, we guessed the first few times and then finally bought a candy thermometer, only to find out ours were never hot enough and so the carmel wasn't as think on the apples.  Stir in vanilla.

For popcorn balls:

Pour over popped corn and stir to coat.  Butter hands lightly; shape popcorn into balls about 3 1/2 inches in diameter.  Makes about 15 balls.

For caramel apples:

Insert sticks into clean apples (you can buy sticks at Michaels), dip apples into carmel left in pot, place on parchment or wax paper.  We've also rolled them in cinnamon and sugar, or sprinkled with little bits of heath bar.