Caramel Bacon Popcorn

I can't believe I almost missed Australian Bacon Week. Another couple of days and it would have been all over without me splattering my stove with bacon grease, filling my house with that unmistakable, mouth-watering smell and stuffing my mouth full of salty, bacon-y bits. (Who am I kidding? I do that on a weekly basis.)

Any hooooo... I made this addictive popcorn in celebration of that indispensable, irreplaceable, utterly delicious piggy product - Think Lolly Gobble Bliss Bombs with bacon... yes, really!


Caramel Bacon Popcorn
from Donna Hay
Serves 6-8

1 1/2 tablespoon vegetable oil
1 cup finely chopped bacon, rind removed
1/2 cup popcorn kernels
40g unsalted butter
1/4 cup honey
1/4 cup brown sugar
1/3 cup caster sugar
1/2 cup unsalted cashews, toasted and roughly chopped
1 teaspoon bicarbonate of soda
sea salt flakes

Heat 2 teaspoons of the oil in a large frying pan (with tight fitting lid for when you pop the corn) over high-heat. Add the bacon and cook, stirring, for about 5 minutes, until burnished and crisp. Drain on kitchen paper and set aside.

Put the pan back on the heat. Reduce the heat to medium and add the remaining oil and add the popcorn kernels and cover with the lid. Cook until the corn stops popping, shaking the pan every now and then. Transfer the popcorn to a large bowl.

Place the butter, honey and both sugars in a small saucepan over low heat and cook until the butter has melted. Increase the heat and boil for about 3 minutes or until golden and thickened. Add the cashews and bacon, remove from the heat, add the bicarbonate of soda and stir to combine. Working quickly, pour the caramel over the popcorn and mix to combine. Spoon onto a baking tray lined with baking paper and sprinkle with sea salt. Leave for a few minutes to set.