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1
Preheat oven to 250.
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2
Put the cooked popcorn in a roaster pan and place in the preheated oven. If you want almonds or other nuts, add them here to heat them up too.
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3
Combine all the remaining ingredients in a saucepan.
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4
Stirring over medium heat, bring the mixture to a boil.
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5
Using a cooking thermometer bring the mixture to the hard boil stage (260).
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6
This will take about 20 to 25 minutes. You will notice the mixture turning dark brown. The alcohol cooks off and so does the water from the bourbon, leaving behind just the flavor.
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7
Remove the popcorn from the oven. Use a whisk to drizzle the caramel mixture in a fine stream over the popcorn and stir the popcorn at the same time. Get it coated pretty liberally. You know how Cracker Jacks look. That's what you're shooting for. You might not have to use all the caramel mixture.
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8
Place the roaster pan back in the oven for 15 minutes. Mix well every 5 minutes, so that all the popcorn is coated.
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9
Remove from oven. As the popcorn cools, gently sift every minute to get them to separate and not clump. Use a spoon early so you don't burn yourself with the carmel, but use your hands later to break up the clumps. It will keep trying to clump until the caramel hardens. This takes about 5 minutes.
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10
You could have almonds or other nuts with the popcorn, for an even fancier candy -- and more like Cracker Jacks too.
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11
Cool and store in a covered container.
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12
Mike Dayoub
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13
Alpharetta, GA
