Best Caramel Corn Ever!

BEST CARAMEL CORN

INGREDIENTS:

• 1 cup unsalted butter
• 1-3/4 cups brown sugar
• 3/4 cup corn syrup
• 1-1/2 teaspoons Kosher salt
• 3/4 teaspoon baking soda
• 2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
• 5 quarts popped popcorn
• 1-1/2 cups mixed salted nuts (pecans, cashews, macadamia nuts, almonds)

DIRECTIONS:

1. Preheat oven to 250 degrees
2. Lightly butter 2 large cookie sheets
3. Pop the popcorn in oil (I use light olive oil) and pour in a very large mixing bowl.
4. Add the nuts to the popcorn and mix.
5. In a tall 5 or 6 quart saucepan over medium heat, melt butter.
6. Stir in brown sugar, corn syrup and salt.
7. Bring to a boil - stirring constantly.
8. Boil for 4 minutes without stirring. The remove from heat and add the soda and vanilla. When you add the soda and vanilla it bubbles up a bit so be very careful not to get burned. Pour the caramel mixture slowly all over the popcorn - mixing it well to cover all of the popcorn and nuts.
9. Lay the caramel coated popcorn/nuts mixture on the 2 large cookie sheets.
10. Bake for 1 hour – turning over every 15 minutes. The caramel sauce melts a bit in the oven so turning the popcorn helps to coat each piece and makes sure that it bakes evenly.
11. Remove from oven and cool completely before breaking into pieces.
12. The popcorn will still be a little wet when you remove it from the oven. It will harden and become crunchy as it cools.