Twix Caramel Popcorn

A-ma-zing.  That is all I have to say.  Corey said this is the best desert type thing I've made all year.  I had no idea how good homemade caramel corn would taste.  And how easy it would be to make!  It basically consists of buying pre-popped popcorn, boiling 3 ingredients for a few minutes, pouring over popcorn, then baking in the oven.  You will need to be around for about an hour and 15 all together.  Try this...it would make great homemade gifts as well!  Or, like us, that might be your intention, until you have trouble parting with it!

Twix Caramel Popcorn
via Two Peas and Their Pod
yields a lot!  two huge tupperwares for me!

Ingredients:

5 quarts plain air popped popcorn (I used 1 large bag from Trader Joe's)1 cup butter
2 cups light brown sugar
1/2 cup light corn syrup
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
20 "fun size" Twix candy bars, chopped (I used 2 regular size bars)2 cups semi-sweet chocolate chips, melted-to drizzle over popcorn (I only used about 1 cup)

Method:

1. Preheat oven to 250 degrees F. Place popcorn in a large bowl and set aside.

2. In a medium saucepan over medium heat, melt butter. Stir in brown sugar, corn syrup, and salt. Bring to a boil, stirring constantly. Boil without stirring for 4 minutes. Remove from heat and stir in baking soda and vanilla extract. Pour caramel in a thin stream over popcorn, stirring to coat. Gently stir until all of the popcorn is covered.

3. Place popcorn on two large shallow baking sheets and bake in preheated oven, stirring every 15 minutes, for about an hour. Remove popcorn from oven and let cool completely.

4. Break popcorn into pieces and mix in chopped Twix candy bars. Drizzle popcorn with melted chocolate. Let the popcorn sit until chocolate hardens, about 30 minutes. Store at room temperature in an airtight container.