5 to 6 cups freshly popped popcorn
1 tablespoon butter (not margarine)
1/2 cup water
1 cup sugar
1/8 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract (optional)
Food coloring of choice (use red for one batch and green for another for a Christmas theme)
Preheat oven to 250 degrees.
Place popcorn in a shallow pan and place in oven to keep warm.
In a heavy saucepan, melt the butter and add sugar, water and salt; stir until sugar is dissolved. Boil about 20 minutes, until syrup just begins to color (about 275 degrees on a candy thermometer; hardball stage). Watch syrup carefully once it reaches 250 degrees; it will darken quickly if it gets too hot. To test: Syrup should form a firm ball when dropped into cold water.
Add vanilla and food coloring. Stir well. Pour in a stream over warm popcorn and quickly stir to coat each piece. Pour popcorn onto a sheet of baking parchment paper and separate each kernel. Be careful; syrup will be hot. Coating will harden as popcorn cools. Store in an airtight container.
