Easy Peasy Toffee Popcorn Recipe

 

Being a Popcorn addict and a movie lover, it makes sense that I do a recipe post on some home-made Toffee Popcorn. I much prefer sweet popcorn, so you can omit the toffee for this recipe ( no doubt it will be healthier but still tasty ) This is a super simple recipe which will save you money in the long run and a trip to the supermarket. I made this in under 10 minutes and a little goes a long way...so hurry up before the movie starts!

Prep time: 5 minutes       Cooking time: 5 minutes

Ingredients

• Bag of Popcorn Kernels ( I used East End Popcorn from Waitrose )
• 2 Tablespoons Sunflower Oil or Nut Oil
• 3 Tablespoons Brown sugar
• 2 Tablespoons golden syrup
• 40g Butter

Instructions

1. Take a large saucepan and add your oil and heat up. Make sure the oil is hot and add a quarter of a cup of popcorn kernels.  
2. Coat the kernels with the oil by swirling in the saucepan. You want to evenly cover them with oil so do not add too much popcorn; there should be just enough to cover the bottom of the pan
3. Place a tight lid over the pan and listen for the popping noises. Turn the heat down. Your kernels should be popping so once they have stopped, set the pan aside.
4. In a separate pan, add the brown sugar and butter on a high heat for a minute or two. Mix together and then add your golden syrup.
5. Add the popcorn to a bowl and pour over the sauce. Mix in with a spoon ( do not use your hands ) and coat the popcorn. Leave for a short time if you like it gooey or longer if you like the toffee harder.

Notes

• Keep shaking the pan once the kernels are in the oil so as to not burn the popcorn and move them around. 
• Never use your bare hands but always use gloves.
• Never uncover the lid until you set the pan aside and popping has finished. Either have a clear glass lid to see whats going on or wait until it is safe. 
• Set in glasses for individual portions at parties or eat from the bowl. 

Marie Antoinette Chocolate Tea Cups Recipe

So this is the first recipe post I have published and also my first attempt at 'proper' food photography using my trusty DSLR. Well today's recipes is 'Chocolate Teacups' inspired by the film Marie Antoinette by Sofia Coppola. Sure, I could have made Macaroons but that would have been so obvious, plus I needed something a little bit classy and had to put these Doulton cups to good use instead of gathering dust. Don't worry, I cleaned them out before I filled them with chocolate.

In the historical context, Marie Antoinette apparently loved chocolate and in the 18th Century, it was primarily taken in liquid form much like a thick Majorcan hot chocolate. This recipe is chocolate set in a cup and it is rich in taste, hence the tiny cups. It has a more creamy than mousse like texture to it.

Prep time: 10 minutes      Cooking time: 10 minutes

Ingredients 

• 170-200 grams of chocolate ( I used Green & Blacks Organic Milk Chocolate )
• 1/2 oz. butter
• 3 eggs
• 1 tablespoon coffee essence ( optional or any other flavorings that you like )
• Chocolate to decorate

Instructions

1. Break up the chocolate and place the pieces and butter in a bowl placed over a pan of hot, not boiling water. Leave to dissolve whilst stirring often. 
2. Once the chocolate and butter have completely dissolved, remove it from the heat and beat in the egg yolks and add any flavoring or essence you are using. 
3. Whisk in the egg whites till stiff then fold them into the chocolate mixture.
4. Pour into 4 small cups ( or 2 larger ones ) and leave in a cool place to set.
5. Just before serving, top them up with chocolate curls 

Notes

• After pouring the chocolate into the cups and letting them cool, I put them in the fridge for a couple of hours for a nice chilled chocolate desert. This would be nicely accompanied with short bread and Marie Antoinette in the DVD player.

 images above of Marie Antoinette Film Grabs via tumblr.com