Caramel Puff Corn

Eight weeks. I had the first appointment this week. Tyler came with me. He sat in the waiting room while I went back for the ultrasound and then they called him in and we both looked at the screen and the doctor said here is the heartbeat and there was a heartbeat. Tyler held my hand so tightly during the heartbeat that my hand was a little sore after. I did not mention the soreness until we were in the car and then we both laughed about it. It is the laugh you get when you have been holding everything very tightly and can finally let some of it go.

I called Gloria from the car. She answered immediately and I said we heard the heartbeat and she said tell me. I described it. She said: that is everything. I said yes. She said: James would have been so glad. And then she said she was so glad. She said she had been praying for this specific thing for two years. I said I did not know that. She said she did not want to put pressure on me by saying. She said some prayers are the kind you say quietly to yourself and let the person receive without knowing it was said. I said thank you for that. She said of course.

That evening, after the car ride and the phone call and all the quiet crying we did once we were finally home, I needed something to do with my hands — something warm and sweet and a little festive that did not require too much thinking. I had made this Caramel Puff Corn once before at Christmas and Tyler had eaten half the pan before it cooled, so it felt right to make it again on a night this big. Some celebrations deserve cake; this one felt like it deserved something you could eat from a bowl on the couch with the person whose hand is a little sore from holding yours so tightly.

Prep Time: 10 minutes | Cook Time: 45 minutes | Total Time: 55 minutes | Servings: 12

Ingredients

1 bag (8 oz) puff corn snack (such as O-Ke-Doke or similar)
1 cup unsalted butter
1 cup packed light brown sugar
1/2 cup light corn syrup
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon fine sea salt

Instructions

Preheat and prep. Preheat your oven to 250°F. Spread the puff corn in a single even layer in a large roasting pan or across two rimmed baking sheets lined with parchment paper. Set aside.
Make the caramel. In a medium heavy-bottomed saucepan, melt the butter over medium heat. Stir in the brown sugar, corn syrup, and salt. Bring to a boil, stirring constantly. Once boiling, allow the mixture to boil for 2 full minutes without stirring.
Add the baking soda. Remove the pan from the heat and quickly stir in the vanilla extract and baking soda. The mixture will foam and expand — stir just until combined and uniform.
Coat the puff corn. Working quickly, pour the hot caramel evenly over the puff corn. Use a large heatproof spatula to gently fold and toss until all the pieces are well coated.
Bake low and slow. Place the pan(s) in the preheated oven and bake for 45 minutes, removing every 15 minutes to stir and redistribute the coating so it caramelizes evenly on all sides.
Cool completely. Remove from the oven and immediately spread the caramel puff corn onto fresh parchment paper or a silicone mat in as thin a layer as possible. Allow it to cool completely undisturbed, about 20 minutes, before breaking into clusters and serving.

Nutrition (per serving)

Caramel Puff Corn — Something Sweet for the Sweetest News