Snack ·
Sweet, salty, crunchy, this one hits all the right notes. It's the classic maple bacon combo applied to popcorn, because why not? We're going to make our own maple sugar for better texture, and popped the kernels in bacon fat for maximum flavour.
Dead easy. Ridiculously good. Hard to share.
Category
Snack
Servings
4
Prep time
10 minutes
Cook time
1 hour
Sweet, salty, crunchy, this one hits all the right notes. It's the classic maple bacon combo applied to popcorn, because why not? We're going to make our own maple sugar for better texture, and popped the kernels in bacon fat for maximum flavour.
Dead easy. Ridiculously good. Hard to share.
Ingredients
- 4 rashes smoked bacon
- 125ml (½ cup) maple syrup
- 1 tbsp canola/vegetable oil
- 100g (½ cup) popcorn kernels
- sea salt, to season
Directions
Prep the bacon
Preheat the oven to 140°C fan forced (285°F).
- Place bacon on a wire rack over a tray and bake for 45-55 mins, until fat has rendered and the bacon is crisp.
- Drain off the fat into a bowl and crumble the bacon into another bowl.
Make the maple sugar
Boil maple syrup in a medium saucepan to 128C (262F), then stir a further 1 minute off the heat.
Beat the mixture with 1 beater, until crystallised, then pass through a fine sieve (you should have at least 2 tablespoons). If you have chunky bits that don’t go through, blitz them in a food processor and then pass them through the sieve.
Cook the popcorn
Place the bacon fat and oil in a wide, deep saucepan and place over medium high heat.
- Add the popcorn kernels, and half the sugar and cover with a tight fitting lid.
- Cook, shaking pan back and forth occasionally, until popcorn begins to pop.
- Continue cooking until you hear no more popping, then remove from the heat. Quickly add the bacon and remaining sugar and cover again. Shake to combine.
Transfer the popcorn to a large bowl and season with some salt. Toss well until fully incorporated then serve immediately.
Recipe notes
Cook support
Adding the oil to the bacon fat will prevent the fat from burning, so don’t miss this step.
To clean the maple syrup saucepan
Add water to the saucepan to about 3cm deep and cover with a lid. Place over the heat and bring to a boil, then uncovered and brush any sugar off the sides of the saucepan. Continue boiling until a syrup consistency then transfer to a sterilised jar for later use.
Sourcing
You can buy maple sugar if you are pressed for time, but making it is not a long process and relatively easy.
Storage
Best eaten on the day of making, but leftovers can be stored at room temperature in an airtight container.
