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. 

Easy Chocolate Meringue Sandwich Recipe

Yay it's the weekend. Another excuse for me to cook something sweet to make my dentist wince. Meringues are notorious for being a bit tricky, but if all goes wrong you can always make an Eton Mess with the left overs.

This recipe is super duper easy and would be great if you add colouring and a different cream for the centre. Everyone who ate them here loved them so no complaints, phew!

Prep time: 15 minutes     Cooking time: 1 hour

Ingredients

• 4 egg whites
• 225g caster sugar
• 1/4 double cream
• Plain chocolate or 1 tablespoon of drinking chocolate

 Instructions

1. Line two trays with non stick baking paper and heat the oven to 120C/Fan 100C.
2. Put the egg whites into an oven glass mixing bowl or a sturdy bowl and whisk with a rotary whisk until stiff. It is important to make sure they are stiff before you follow the next part.
3. Continue to whisk whilst adding a tablespoon of sugar and whisking well before the next tablespoon is added.
4. After all the sugar has been added, using two wet desert spoons, spoon the meringue onto the baking trays. You can also use a pipe to transfer the mixture and look more professional than me.
5. Sprinkle the meringues with a little caster sugar and leave them in the oven for an hour or until they are crisp.
6. Remove them from the oven and leave them to cool down.
7. Melt some chocolate and the cream in a saucepan and mix till all chocolate is melted. Leave to cool down.
8. Once cool and a bit gloopy, grab two meringues and sandwich them with the filling.
9. Et voila. Impress your guests or just eat them all to yourself.

Notes

• If you feel that your whites aren't being very peaky...add a squeeze of lemon juice or white wine vinegar to help them along. This snack would be nicely accompanied with tea and a romantic comedy.