India Pale Ale Caramel Corn

Prep 35 min
Total 1 hr 55 min
Ingredients 8
Servings 14

Red Hot Holiday Trends - Sweet caramel popcorn gets spiked and spiced with a pour of IPA beer and a hint of garam masala. MORE + LESS -

Ingredients

cups popped popcorn

cup cashews

1/2

cup India pale ale beer

1/4

cup packed brown sugar

1/4

cup brown rice syrup or corn syrup

tablespoons butter

1/2

teaspoon garam masala

1/4

teaspoon salt

Directions

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1

Heat oven to 300°F. Line two 15x10x1-inch pans with foil. Spray foil with cooking spray.
2

In large bowl, place popcorn and cashews; set aside.
3

In 2-quart saucepan, heat ale over medium heat, frequently, until reduced to 1/4 cup, about 6 minutes. Pour into glass liquid measuring cup to confirm measure. Add back to saucepan. Stir in brown sugar, syrup and butter. Cook over medium heat until bubbly around edges, stirring occasionally.
4

Reduce heat to medium-low; cook about 5 minutes longer, stirring occasionally, until thickened and syrupy. Remove from heat; carefully stir in garam masala and salt. Pour over popcorn mixture in bowl; toss until evenly coated. Spread popcorn mixture in pans.
5

Bake 20 minutes, stirring every 5 minutes, to caramelize mixture. Cool completely, about 1 hour. Break into pieces. Store in airtight container.

Expert Tips

India pale ale is a style of beer that is pale to deep amber in color and slightly more hoppy and bitter than other pale ale.
Garam masala is an Indian spice mixture. While its recipe is variable, garam masala usually consists of cardamom, cinnamon and cloves and may also include coriander, cumin, nutmeg, mace or pepper.
Brown rice syrup is a sweetener derived from brown rice. It has mild malty notes that enhance the beer flavor in this recipe. It is available at large supermarkets or specialty shops.
Interested in a non-alcoholic version? Root beer or cola can easily be substituted for the beer.

Nutrition Information

Nutrition Facts

Serving Size: 1 Serving

Calories: 150
Calories from Fat: 80

% Daily Value

Total Fat: 9g; 14%
Saturated Fat 2 1/2g 14% Trans Fat 0g
Cholesterol: 5mg; 2%
Sodium: 70mg; 3%
Potassium: 80mg; 2%
Total Carbohydrate: 15g; 5%
Dietary Fiber 1g 4% Sugars 7g
Protein: 2g

% Daily Value*:

Vitamin A: 0%; 0%
Vitamin C: 0%; 0%
Calcium: 0%; 0%
Iron: 4%; 4%

Exchanges:

1/2 Starch; 0 Fruit; 1/2 Other Carbohydrate; 0 Skim Milk; 0 Low-Fat Milk; 0 Milk; 0 Vegetable; 0 Very Lean Meat; 0 Lean Meat; 0 High-Fat Meat; 1 1/2 Fat;