Popcorn Balls I Made It Ii

Popcorn Balls

DIZ3 6 years ago
Recipe: Popcorn Balls
By: Chefjeb
Date: 10/31/17

***October Halloween Treats Group Recipe Challenge***

My favorite Halloween treat to receive as a child was a homemade popcorn ball. My mom used to make them for trick or treater’s and so would one of our neighbor’s. That was back in the day when you could give out homemade goodies. Popcorn balls are a true labor of love because you have to shape them immediately before the smoldering hot syrup has time to set. I remember watching my mom gingerly pat them into shape with her bare hands. It’s really not that bad if you do it right, but you do have to be very careful and cautious when working with 300 degree sticky syrup. I like to keep chunks of butter on a plate and rub them between my hands before grabbing a handful of popcorn. I just barely touch the popcorn and loosely shape it into a ball. I don’t try to compress or compact the ball. You have to work fast because once the syrup starts to set, the popcorn won’t stick together.

This recipe was very easy to make, but I found the large amount of vinegar and the cream of tartar to be too much. It yielded a sour syrup. Not the sweet, buttery flavor that I expect when eating a popcorn ball. I have another vintage tnt popcorn ball recipe that calls for vinegar and it's not sour. I was hoping to share these, but I think the sour taste would catch people off guard. Hubby and I will eat them no problem.
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mommyluvs2cook 6 years ago said:

It's funny you posted this, my daughter just found her love of popcorn balls a couple days ago! Vinegar is a strange ingredient that I would have never thought were in them, sorry this recipe called for too much though :( Your picture looks Amaaazing!!!

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DIZ3 6 years ago said:

Thank you, Mommyluvs2cook! There are 2 types of popcorn balls. Caramel which are chewy and stick to your teeth and the old fashioned kind that are buttery and have a hard crack. If you get the urge to make some, I recommend Grandpa's Popcorn Balls from AR. It's a true old fashioned popcorn ball. It also uses vinegar, but not as much and has more butter.

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mommyluvs2cook 6 years ago said:

The one my daughter had was definitely the buttery one and not the caramel. I'll look into that recipe, she'd love it :) Thanks DIZ!

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chuckieb 6 years ago said:

How fun! I haven't thought of popcorn balls in years!!!! I used to love them as a kid and the flavour would surely transport me back to the '60's. :) A shame the recipe had too much vinegar but that's part of why the IMI11 group is so great. It helps warn others if a recipe isn't quite up to snuff. Great photo! I remember making these with my Mom, smearing butter on my hands and moving quickly so I didn't burn myself. LOL. Thanks for the good memory DIZ. I'll go check out 'Grandpa's Popcorn Balls'.

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LindaLMT 6 years ago said:

OMG!! I haven't seen popcorn balls since I was a kid. Great picture DIZ.

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mommyluvs2cook 6 years ago said:

Thanks for bumping us back on the first page Linda, and the escort ads off!!!!

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Cosmicmother 6 years ago said:

Those look fantastic Diz!

Too bad the vinegar ruined them though :( I think 2 tsp.'s would have been ok, I wonder if tbsp. was a misprint on the poster's part? I usually add lemon juice to any caramel I make so the sugar doesn't crystallize, but only a drop or two. I think the tartar does the same thing but both together is some kind of candy making? I can't remember now, some kind of scientific reasoning, lol ;)

You could roll them in sea salt and have a salt n vinegar popcorn ball! ;)

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DIZ3 6 years ago said:

Hi, Chuckieb! I'm glad I could bring back some fond childhood memories. Sometimes you can't beat the things our parents and grandparents used to make. They put a lot of love into the foods they made.

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DIZ3 6 years ago said:

Hi, LindaLMT! I know, a time forgotten treat. They are still just as good today as they were back then.

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DIZ3 6 years ago said:

Hi, Cosmicmother! Funny you mentioned putting lemon juice in caramel. I downloaded a recipe the other day for a caramel sauce and it uses a little bit of lemon juice which I thought was odd. I've seen orange juice before, but now the lemon makes sense. This is the first recipe I've seen with cream of tartar. I may have to research more. Whatever it does, I think 2tsp was way too much.

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bakerme 6 years ago said:

Beautiful photo, DIZ! They look all caramely. I haven't had a popcorn ball in forever!

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DIZ3 6 years ago said:

Thank you, Bakerme! They do look like caramel, but don't taste it. I was actually surprised by the dark color. I'm used to them being lighter and clear. I used white vinegar so maybe it had something to do with the cream of tartar.

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eastcoaster 6 years ago said:

DIZ, that is one lovely photo.

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DIZ3 6 years ago said:

Thank you, Eastcoaster! :)

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