Sea Salt and Honey Caramel Popcorn

This might be my best recipe ever. Ever. I can't stop eating it. No one can stop eating it. I keep making it and it keeps disappearing.

I took it to a Super Bowl party and people said, in a semi-shocked voice, "This caramel corn is really good!" And I wanted to say, "It's not just caramel corn, it's sea salt and honey caramel popcorn, and of course it's good!" But I didn't. I just said thank you.

I've gotta be honest. If it wasn't for the whole "salted caramel" craze going on right now, I'd never have thought to put salt on this. And I only put sea salt on it because that's what's on my stove. And I only put honey in it because I ran out of corn syrup. But, all those coincidences together made for some delish popcorn!

Before you think this is some kind of special, difficult, impressive recipe... well, never mind. You can go ahead and think that. But really? It's not any harder than making rice krispie treats.

Ingredients

• 1 cup butter
• 2 cups packed brown sugar
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 cup plus 1/8 cup light corn syrup
• 1/8 cup honey
• 1 teaspoon baking soda 
• 8 quarts popped popcorn
• sea salt

Notes: So, what had happened was, I measured out a half cup of corn syrup and didn't have enough so I filled it to the top of the measuring cup with honey. I estimate it was about two tablespoons of honey. Give or take. When I made it again I filled the half cup measure about 3/4 full and then to the top with honey. It was perfect.

Directions

• Preheat oven to 200 degrees F. 
• Pop your popcorn. I filled up the measuring cup on my air popper three times to get 8 quarts of popped popcorn. You might have to measure it out the first time.
• Over medium heat, combine first 5 ingredients and bring to a boil. Stir this the whole time or the little bit of butter that melts first is going to start browning and burning your sugar before everything is melted.
• Boil for 5 minutes.Once it starts boiling, don't touch it. Don't stir it. Even if you want to. There are chemical reasons for not stirring boiling sugar syrups that you can google if you're really interested.
• Remove from heat; stir in baking soda. Stir it really well. This is going to turn the whole thing into a beautiful, light brown bubbly, frothy mixture. It will also make it much easier to stir onto your popcorn.
• Pour your sugar mixture over 8 quarts popped corn and stir to coat well. This is the part that is just like making rice krispie treats.
• Spread the caramel corn out onto two or three large cookie sheets or dump the whole mess in a large roaster. Put the pan (s) into your heated oven.
• Stir after 15 minutes and take it out after 15 more (30 minutes total).
• Spread on waxed paper and immediately sprinkle with sea salt so it sticks into the gooey caramel. I used between 1 and 1.5 tablespoons of sea salt. This is one of those "to taste" things.
• Don't eat it right away, you'll burn your tongue. But, after you've salted it all, it'll probably be ok.
• Try not to eat it all in one sitting, but good luck with that.

Adapted from this Paula Dean recipe.