Apple Popcorn Brittle

According to the Illinois State Museum:

Apple Popcorn Brittle courtesy of the Popcorn Board

There are 333 Illinois farms that grow popcorn on 47,000 acres, making Illinois the third largest grower of the product.

Corn probably originated in Mexico about 5,000 years ago. It is estimated that Native Americans in Illinois started growing corn about 100 A.D.

Popcorn pops because its kernel contains a small drop of water that suddenly expands when exposed to high heat. The kernel turns inside-out as it explodes.

The Symbol
Second and third grade students and their teacher, Fran Hollister, at Cunningham Elementary in Joliet proposed popcorn as the official State Snackfood of Illinois, and it was sponsored by State Senator Larry Walsh. The Official Illinois Snackfood was voted a State Symbol in 2003.

Ingredients for Apple Popcorn Brittle

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• 1 quart popped popcorn
• 2 cups apple and cinnamon flavored cereal
• 1 cup cocktail peanuts
• 3/4 cup apple juice
• 1 cup sugar
• 1/4 light corn syrup
• 1/2 teaspoon vinegar
• 1/4 teaspoon salt

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A different Kind of Popcorn Recipe

Directions for Apple Popcorn Brittle

1. In a bowl, toss together popped popcorn, cereal and peanuts. Set aside. Butter sides of a heavy 2 quart saucepan.
2. In saucepan, combine apple juice, sugar, corn syrup, vinegar and salt.
3. Cook over medium heat, stirring constantly until sugar dissolves and mixture begins to boil.
4. Cook to hard ball stage (250 degrees Fahrenheit on a candy thermometer).
5. Remove from heat. Pour syrup over popcorn-cereal-peanut mixture; toss to coat.
6. Spread in a buttered 15 1/2 by 10 1/2 by 1-inch baking pan. Cool until hardened.
7. Break into pieces.

Notes

3/4 cup apple pop wine may be used instead of apple juice.

Recipe and photo courtesy of The Popcorn Board

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