You’ll have to add your own prize, but this caramel corn, with the addition of pecans and almonds and a little spice from dried red chile flakes, is far more satisfying than the stale stuff you’ll find in the cardboard box.
⅓ cup (80 grams) unpopped popcorn
1 tablespoon coconut oil
⅓ cup peanuts (optional)
⅓ cup pecans (optional)
⅓ cup slivered almonds (optional)
2 tablespoons water
1 cup (200 grams) cane sugar
½ teaspoon salt
1 tablespoon brown rice or golden syrup
1 teaspoon baking soda
Flake salt (optional)
Dried red chile flakes (optional)
Pop the corn in a large, heavy-bottomed pot, or in a popcorn popper, with the coconut oil. Place in a large bowl. The bowl should only be about half full so that you have plenty of room to toss the popcorn to coat.
If you are using the peanuts, pecans, and slivered almonds, toast them lightly in a 350°F oven until fragrant, about 5 minutes, and place them in the bowl with the popcorn.
Line a baking sheet with aluminum foil and set aside.
In a heavy-bottomed pot, bring the water, sugar, salt, and brown rice syrup to a boil over medium-low heat, stirring constantly and using a moistened pastry brush to brush down any errant crystals that form on the side of the pot. Once the sugar is boiling, stop brushing and stir occasionally while bringing the mixture to 310°F. This may take up to 20 minutes, so be patient, keeping the heat on medium-low so that the sugar doesn’t burn. Every once in a while, rotate the pot to avoid hot spots. When the sugar reaches 310°F, immediately remove it from the heat and stir the baking soda in briskly.
Pour the caramel over the popcorn and nuts and stir with a spoon to coat. Pour the coated popcorn onto the prepared baking sheet and sprinkle with the flake salt and red chile flakes, if desired. Let the caramel cool and harden before serving.
This caramel corn is naturally gluten-free and vegan.
Brown rice syrup makes this toffee deliciously buttery. The high heat required for toffee doesn’t work very well for sugars that are unrefined like rapidura, so don’t be tempted to substitute here. Evaporated cane sugar caramelizes more consistently without scorching. If getting perfect rectangles is important, use a bar-shaped silicone candy mold and pour the hot toffee into it to cool.
8 tablespoons (1 stick) unsalted butter
¾ cup (150 grams) cane sugar
¼ teaspoon salt
1 tablespoon brown rice or golden syrup
¼ cup finely chopped almonds
½ teaspoon vanilla extract
12 ounces milk chocolate, tempered or melted, divided
Butter, or line with a silicone baking mat, a 9-by-13-inch rimmed baking sheet.
In a heavy-bottomed pot, bring the butter, sugar, salt, and brown rice syrup to a boil over medium-low heat, stirring constantly and using a moistened pastry brush to brush down any errant crystals that form on the side of the pot. Once the sugar is boiling, stop brushing and stir occasionally while bringing the mixture to 300°F. This may take up to 20 minutes, so be patient, keeping the heat on medium-low so that the sugar doesn’t burn. Every once in a while, rotate the pot to avoid hot spots. When the sugar reaches 300°F, immediately remove it from the heat and stir in the almonds and vanilla.
Pour the toffee mixture into the prepared pan and spread it to an even layer about ¼ inch thick. Let set until firm, about 15 minutes.
After the toffee has set, pour 4 ounces of the tempered chocolate onto the cooled toffee and spread to coat. Place in a cool spot (or the refrigerator) to set, about 30 minutes.
Once the melted chocolate has set on the toffee, remove the toffee from the pan and slice into rectangles (don’t worry if some pieces break; they will still taste delicious). Place the bars chocolate side down on a large sheet of waxed paper.
Pour the remaining 8 ounces of tempered chocolate over the toffee and spread to coat, being sure to cover the sides as well. Place in a cool spot (or the refrigerator) to set, about 30 minutes.
These bars are naturally gluten-free.
For vegan Chocolate Toffee Bars, replace the butter with 4 tablespoons coconut oil or margarine plus 2 tablespoons almond milk.
Is it a cookie? Is it a candy? Well, it’s a little of both. Mars calls Twix a “cookie bar.” This homemade version may have a few steps, but they keep well, so make a big batch and enjoy them for a while.
1¼ cups (150 grams) white spelt or all-purpose flour
½ cup (60 grams) sweet rice flour
1 teaspoon salt
6 tablespoons (¾ stick) unsalted butter, at room temperature
⅔ cup (75 grams) powdered sugar
1 egg white
1 teaspoon vanilla
⅓ cup (2½ ounces) Caramel Sauce (this page)
12 ounces semisweet chocolate, tempered or melted
Preheat the oven to 375°F.
Sift the white spelt flour, sweet rice flour, and salt together and set aside.
In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, cream the butter and powdered sugar together until light and fluffy, about 2 minutes. Add the egg white and vanilla and beat until creamy, about 1 minute. Add the flour mixture and mix on low speed just until incorporated. Refrigerate until firm, about 20 minutes.
Line a 9-by-13-inch rimmed baking sheet with parchment, extending the parchment over the sides of the pan to create handles. Roll out the chilled dough until it is a little more than ¼ inch thick. Prick the dough all over with a fork and carefully place the dough onto the prepared baking sheet. Bake until very lightly golden, 15 to 20 minutes, rotating the baking sheet halfway through baking.
Allow the baked shortbread to cool slightly in the pan and then spread the Caramel Sauce thickly over the top.
Remove the caramel-covered shortbread from the pan, using the parchment as handles, and place on a large, stable cutting surface. Using a large, sharp knife, cut the shortbread into ½-by-3-inch bars.
Line a tray with waxed paper. Dip the cookie sticks in the melted chocolate, covering them completely. Place the dipped cookie sticks on the prepared tray. Place in a cool spot (or the refrigerator) to set, about 30 minutes. Uneaten cookie sticks will keep in an airtight container for 2 weeks, or longer in the refrigerator.
For gluten-free Chocolate Caramel Cookie Sticks, replace the white spelt flour with an equal amount of gluten-free all-purpose baking mix.
For vegan Chocolate Caramel Cookie Sticks, replace the butter with an equal amount of coconut oil and the egg white with 1 teaspoon ground chia or flaxseed and 3 tablespoons water.
These yogurt-covered raisins are a test in patience and meticulousness. Do you have the will to separate out one hundred individual raisins so that they dry perfectly? Neither do I. Instead, I simply make yogurt raisin clusters that are easy to munch on a handful at a time. Feel free to substitute dried cranberries or nuts for the raisins—the yogurt coating is just as good on them.
Line a baking sheet with parchment or waxed paper and set aside.
In a medium-sized bowl, quickly toss the raisins in the powdered sugar to lightly coat, and then drop them into the yogurt coating. Stir to fully coat each raisin.
Pour the mixture out onto the prepared baking sheet and, using a fork or a chopstick, separate the raisins as much as you wish. Let the raisins sit until the yogurt coating sets, about 30 minutes, then break them apart into clumps.
These coated raisins are naturally gluten-free and vegan (if using the vegan Yogurt Coating on this page).
