Name: Sweet and Salty Nori and Black Sesame Caramel Corn
Prep time: 10 min
Cook time: 25 min
Total time: 35 min
Cuisine: Japanese-Inspired
Ingredients: 2 tbsp peanut oil; 0.25 cups (60 ml) to 0.33 cups (79 ml) unpopped popcorn kernels (8 cups popped); 0.25 cups (60 ml) crushed nori; 1 tbsp black sesame seeds; 0.75 cups (178 ml) packed brown sugar; 5 tbsp unsalted butter; 1 tsp coarse kosher salt; 3 tbsp light corn syrup; 1 tbsp toasted sesame oil; 0.5 tsp vanilla extract; 0.25 tsp baking soda

Description

Sweet, salty, and utterly addictive, this caramel corn gets an unexpected umami boost from nori and sesame.
Perfect for movie nights or sharing with friends.

Ingredients

Units Scale

2 tbsp peanut oil
0.25 cups (60 ml) to 0.33 cups (79 ml) unpopped popcorn kernels (8 cups popped)
0.25 cups (60 ml) crushed nori
1 tbsp black sesame seeds
0.75 cups (178 ml) packed brown sugar
5 tbsp unsalted butter
1 tsp coarse kosher salt
3 tbsp light corn syrup
1 tbsp toasted sesame oil
0.5 tsp vanilla extract
0.25 tsp baking soda

Instructions

Preheat oven to 300°F (149°C).
Heat oil in a large heavy-bottomed stockpot or Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Add popcorn and cover with a lid. Using potholders or a towel, shake the pot to keep the kernels moving as they pop. When several seconds pass between pops, remove from heat. Remove and discard any unpopped kernels.
Crush nori into small flakes and add, along with sesame seeds, to the pot with popcorn.
Combine brown sugar, butter, salt, and corn syrup in a medium saucepan. Cook and stir over medium heat until the mixture begins to boil. Reduce heat to medium-low to maintain a moderate boil, and cook, without stirring, for exactly 5 minutes.
Remove pan from heat and stir in sesame oil, vanilla, and baking soda. Immediately pour caramel mixture over popcorn and toss to combine.
Spread popcorn in an even layer on a parchment-lined baking sheet. Bake for 15 minutes, stir, and bake for 5 more minutes.
Once cooled enough to handle, toss the popcorn to prevent sticking.
Store tightly covered for up to one week.

Notes

For a stronger nori flavor, toast the nori flakes lightly in a dry pan before adding to the popcorn.
If you don’t have light corn syrup, you can substitute with golden syrup or even honey, but the caramel may be slightly darker in color.
To prevent the caramel from hardening too quickly, work quickly when combining the caramel with the popcorn and spreading it on the baking sheet.

Prep Time: 10 minutes
Cook Time: 25 minutes
Category: Appetizer
Method: Oven-Baking
Cuisine: Japanese-Inspired

Nutrition

Serving Size: 1 cup
Calories: 400
Sugar: 25
Sodium: 200
Fat: 20
Saturated Fat: 10
Unsaturated Fat: 8
Carbohydrates: 60
Fiber: 2
Protein: 3
Cholesterol: 20