PARTNER POST – Be inspired to create beautiful cheese boards with Castello cheese. And what goes better with cheese than wine? Enter to win a trip for two to Napa, California.
With sweet elements like caramel popcorn and salty crackers and cheese, check out this beautiful cheeseboard that is sure to be an award season winner.
By Justine Sulia
I am OBSESSED with awards season. I honestly don’t watch a movie all year until I watch the Oscars. I don’t binge on TV until I’ve watched the Emmys. I don’t buy an album until I watch the Grammys, and the Golden Globes kills it when it comes to the red carpet. You guys get the point right?
This is why I’m all about keeping with the theme when it comes to serving food during an awards show. Cheese boards and platters are my favorite way to entertain, especially during awards season. 
For this cheese board, I wanted to keep with the theme, and the theme for awards season is most definitely “gold.” Gold is such a fun color to try to replicate with food. You can go with all kinds of different types of mustards, and I love mustard. I could eat it with a spoon, literally. Mustard also happens to be a great accompaniment to cheese!
In addition to adding mustards, grapes, and crackers to my Oscar night cheese board, I have to add something sweet into the mix. I am firm believer that there has to be something sweet on a cheese board, and sweet foods often compliment cheese. This brings me to the recipe portion of this post: the caramel corn!
I thought that caramel corn would be the perfect accompaniment to the Castello cheeses adorning this cheese board. The Havarti cheese with the caramel corn was seriously a match made in heaven, and I’m literally STILL thinking about it!
Ingredients for the perfect Oscar night cheese board:
Castello Havarti Cheese
Castello Blue Cheese
Honey Mustard
Rice Crackers
Fresh Greens
Red Grapes
Salted Pistachios
Caramel Corn
Assorted Olives
A bottle of Folie à Deux
The most exciting part of today’s post however, is the sweepstakes! Enter here or below for a trip for two to Napa Valley, CA!
Caramel Corn
- Total Time: 80 minutes
- Yield: Makes about 10 cups 1x
- Diet: Omnivore
Description
Sweet and salty caramel corn is a perfect party snack or movie night treat. This recipe delivers crispy, crunchy goodness in every bite.
Ingredients
- 6 tbsp vegetable oil
- 1 cups (237 ml) corn kernels
- 2 cups (473 ml) brown sugar
- 1/4 cup light corn syrup
- 1 cups (237 ml) unsalted butter
- 1 tsp fine sea salt
- 1/4 tsp baking soda
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 250°F (121°C).
- In a large Dutch oven, add oil. Heat over medium heat until melted. Add 3–5 popcorn kernels, cover, and wait until all kernels have popped (1–2 minutes). Remove popped kernels with a slotted spoon and discard.
- Reduce heat to medium-low, add remaining popcorn kernels, and sprinkle with salt. Cover and cook until there are a couple of seconds between pops (about 2–3 minutes).
- Transfer popcorn to a large roasting pan and set aside.
- In a heavy-bottomed saucepan, combine brown sugar, corn syrup, butter, and salt. Bring to a boil over medium heat, stirring constantly.
- Stir in baking soda and continue to cook until the mixture is thick. Remove from heat.
- Pour caramel over popcorn and toss to coat evenly.
- Bake popcorn for 1 hour and 10 minutes, or until crispy, tossing every 15 minutes.
- Remove from oven and pour popcorn onto foil-lined baking sheets.
- Break up popcorn once cool enough to handle.
- Once completely cool, transfer caramel corn to an airtight container for storage (up to 1–2 weeks).
Notes
- For extra-crispy caramel corn, spread the popcorn in a single layer on the baking sheet and ensure even coating with the caramel.
- If you don’t have light corn syrup, you can substitute with an equal amount of granulated sugar, but the caramel may be slightly less glossy.
- To prevent sticking, lightly grease your baking sheets or use parchment paper before spreading out the caramel corn to cool.
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 70 minutes
- Category: Dessert
- Method: Oven-Baking
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 cup
- Calories: 400
- Sugar: 50
- Sodium: 200
- Fat: 25
- Saturated Fat: 15
- Unsaturated Fat: 10
- Carbohydrates: 50
- Fiber: 2
- Protein: 2
- Cholesterol: 50
Frequently Asked Questions
What type of cheese pairs best with the caramel corn on the cheese board?
A creamy cheese like Castello’s Brie or a sharp cheddar works wonderfully with the sweetness of the caramel corn.
Can I use store-bought caramel corn, or should I make my own?
You can definitely use store-bought caramel corn for convenience, but homemade caramel corn allows you to customize the sweetness and flavor to your liking.
What types of mustard should I include to complement the cheese and caramel corn?
A mix of sweet and spicy mustards, such as honey mustard and Dijon, can enhance the flavors of the cheese while balancing the sweetness of the caramel corn.
This looks wonderful
So colorful and so many flavors.Love it Thanks for sharing