Sugared Popcorn II

Step 1

Place the popped corn morsels into a shallow pans to crisp in a slow oven (300 degrees) while preparing the syrup.

Step 2

Melt the butter in a heavy saucepan, add the sugar and water, and stir until dissolved.

Step 3

Boil until the syrup spins a good thread from the spoon (300 to 310 degrees on candy thermometer) or forms a hard ball when tested in cold water. The hard-crack stage is the highest temperature you are likely to see specified in a candy recipe. At these temperatures, there is almost no water left in the syrup. Drop a little of the molten syrup in cold water and it will form hard, brittle threads that break when bent.

Step 4

Add vanilla to the mixture and blend well. Pour over the popcorn. Stir until every kernel is sugar coated and separated. Syrup may be tinted with red, green or yellow food coloring or strawberry jello to give variation.