Molasses Popcorn Balls Recipes

MOLASSES POPCORN BALLS

Steps:

• Pick over popped corn, discarding all hard kernels.
• Combine molasses,sugar, water, vinegar and salt; cook slowly, stirring constantly, to270 degrees F. (or when a small quantity dropped into cold water forms a hard ball).
• Remove from heat; add vanilla extract and shortening, stirring only enough to mix.
• Pour over popped corn, stirring constantly.
• Grease hands; shape lightly and quickly into balls. [If you squeeze too hard, you will crush the popcorn and it won't be as good.]
• Cool. Wrap in Waxed paper, twisting the ends of the paper around the top of the ball.

OLD-TIME POPCORN BALLS

Steps:

• Place popcorn in a large bowl and set aside. In a large heavy saucepan, combine molasses, sugar, water, vinegar and butter. Cook, without stirring, over medium heat until mixture reaches 235° on a candy thermometer (soft-ball stage). Add baking soda and stir well. , Remove from heat and immediately pour over popcorn, stirring gently with a wooden spoon until well coated. When cool enough to handle, quickly shape into 3-in. balls, dipping hands in cool water to prevent the syrup from sticking.

POP'S MOLASSES POPCORN BALLS AND TAFFY

Steps:

• Place popcorn in a large bowl, with room for mixing. Fill another bowl with ice water. Butter several plates, one per each person who will be pulling taffy.
• Combine sugar, corn syrup, molasses, water, butter, and salt in a large 6-quart saucepan over medium heat; attach a candy thermometer. Bring to a boil, stirring frequently. Tip the pan slightly to melt the sugar crystals on the sides, scraping down with a wooden spoon. Heat until the mixture registers 300 to 310 degrees F (149 to 155 degrees C) on the thermometer or until a small amount of syrup drizzled into cold water turns hard, 7 to 10 minutes.
• Pour about 1 cup syrup onto each buttered plate. Let cool until safe to handle like a hot potato, 3 to 5 minutes. Pull syrup between your hands until a light golden brown color is achieved; the longer you pull it, the lighter it becomes. Twist into a long rope about 3/4-inch thick and place on back on a buttered plate to let taffy harden and cool. Break the hardened taffy apart.
• Pour the remaining hot syrup carefully over popcorn, while someone else quickly stirs the batch. Butter your hands and dip them in the ice water; working quickly to avoid burns and before taffy hardens, grab some of the popcorn mixture and form into a 3-inch ball. Repeat with the remaining popcorn.

BARE-BONES MOLASSES POPCORN BALLS

Steps:

• Combine molasses and sugar in a saucepan.
• Grease a large mixing bowl and put in popped popcorn. Grease a mixing spoon. Set aside.
• Combine molasses and sugar in a saucepan. Stirring constantly, heat over medium-high heat until just about boiling.
• Pour over popcorn and mix well. Add peanuts if desired at this point.
• Let cool a little (take the kids to wash their hands - that will take just the right amount of time!).
• Press popcorn into balls. (Kids love this!).
• Eat what sticks on your hands.

FAVORITE POPCORN BALLS

Steps:

• Add 1 tablespoon of the oil to a 4 quart saucepan, and heat over high heat. When oil is hot, add 1/2 cup of popping corn. Keep pan moving constantly. When corn stops popping, remove from heat. Repeat until all corn has been popped. Place popped corn into a buttered bowl.
• In 2 quart saucepan, melt butter. Stir in sugar, molasses, and salt. Insert a candy thermometer in saucepan and boil sugar mixture on medium heat until the thermometer reads 260 degrees F(126 degrees C).
• Pour syrup over corn, while stirring popcorn thoroughly. Butter hands lightly. Shape popcorn into 12 to 14 balls.