cinnamon sugar kettle corn with spiced chocolate drizzle

A few weeks ago I bought a few bags of this popcorn and fell madly in love. I really wanted to recreate it at home, but I woke up one night with an ingenious idea - a spiced chocolate drizzle. I absolutely LOVE the flavor of chocolate with the heat of cinnamon and cayenne pepper mixed in. You get a nice extra hint of sweetness from the cinnamon, and a nice kick from the cayenne. 

Making and personalizing your own popcorn at home is so simple, and you can make it as healthy or as decadent as you want. I used a mixture of coconut oil and butter for this recipe, but you could easily use all coconut oil to make it a little less naughty. I also used dark chocolate for the drizzle so this is practically a health food! 

Cinnamon Sugar Kettle Corn with Spiced Chocolate Drizzle

2 tablespoons coconut oil

2 tablespoons unsalted butter

1/2 cup popcorn kernels

3 tablespoons granulated sugar

1/2 tablespoon ground cinnamon

1 teaspoon salt

In a large saucepan with a tight fitting lid, melt the coconut oil over medium heat. After the coconut oil has melted, increase the heat to medium-high and melt the butter.

Meanwhile, in a small bowl combine the sugar and cinnamon. Set aside.

Once the butter and oil have melted, add the popcorn kernels and sprinkle with the cinnamon sugar mixture as evenly as possible and cover with the lid.

Once the kernels begin to pop, remove the pan from the heat and gently shake so the sugar doesn't burn.

Move pan back to the heat and shake continuously until the kernels begin to pop.

Once the popping begins to slow down, turn the heat off, and crack the lid to release the steam. 

Once the popping stops, remove the lid and sprinkle with salt.

Immediately pour onto a baking sheet lined with parchment paper. Be careful not to touch the popcorn since the sugar sill be really hot.

For the Drizzle

1/2 cup dark chocolate chips

1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon

1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper

While the kettle corn cools, melt the chocolate chips in the microwave. Add the ground cinnamon and cayenne pepper to the melted chocolate and stir to combine.

With a spoon, drizzle the melted chocolate over the cooled popcorn. 

Let the chocolate set for several minutes before enjoying. 

Popcorn will keep in an airtight container for 2 days.

PS - spicy and sweet make a good valentine treat. 

homemade marshmallows!

I'm going to let you in on a little secret. Bringing homemade marshmallows anywhere will automatically make you a super hero of a human. Anytime anyone finds out that yes, in fact,  you can make marshmallows from scratch lots of questions ensue and people start thinking you're a genius in the kitchen. It's pretty fantastic if you ask me. 

Another really good thing? Marshmallows are appropriate for everything! Summertime bbq's and bonfires? Yes! Fourth of July parties? Yep! Dip them in chocolate for Valentine's day! Or make a batch and dunk them in a steamy, creamy cup of hot chocolate when the weather turns colder. They really are great for everything since you can adjust the flavors with extracts and a little imagination. I'm itching to try orange extract and chocolate and a chai-flavored marshmallow. Sounds delicious to me. 

Homemade Marshmallows

inspired by my favorite recipe found here

2/3 cup water, divided

3 (1/4 teaspoon) packages unflavored gelatin

1 cup sugar

1 cup light corn syrup

pinch salt

2 teaspoons vanilla

1 cup powdered sugar

Butter an 8X8 pan and sprinkle with powdered sugar to keep marshmallows from sticking. Set aside.

Pour 1/3 cup cold water into the bowl of a stand mixer. Sprinkle all three packages of gelatin over the top and gently stir to moisten the gelatin. Let stand until softened.

Meanwhile in a heavy-bottomed pot mix together the remain 1/3 cup of water, sugar, corn syrup, and salt. Cook the sugar mixture over medium-high heat until a candy thermometer reaches 240 degrees. Remove from heat.

Turn the mixer on low and pour sugar mixture over the softened gelatin. Add in the vanilla and turn the mixer to high. Beat until the mixture is white, thick, and tripled in volume (usually about 8-10 minutes). 

Working very quickly, pour marshmallows into greased pan with an oiled spatula. With wet hands, press the mixture down and smooth the top. Sprinkle the top with a little powdered sugar. 

Let marshmallows stand for at least 3-4 hours or up to overnight. Remove from the pan, and cut with a very sharp knife. 

Place powered sugar and cut marshmallows in a large ziploc bag. Shake to coat - this will help store the marshmallows without them being too sticky.