Reviewed: Dec. 12, 2003

oh boy, these are really good. It is really important to reach hard crack stage with these candies. To test for hard crack stage without a candy thermometer, use the ice water method. Have nearby a bowl of ice water. Periodically test the syrup to see if it has reached hard crack. To do this, drizzle a small amount of syrup off of a spoon into the cold water. When it has reached hard crack stage, it will form treads in the water. When you take the threads out of the water, they will be hard and brittle. If they are still soft and pliable, or if it forms a ball instead of threads, keep cooking and checking until you get hard, brittle threads.

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Reviewer:

JADE_RAIN

Reviewed: Dec. 23, 2001

If you dont cook to the hard-crack stage, you will end up with sticky "caramel" on the popcorn. At the hard-crack stage, it becomes crispy when completely cooled. When you bite off a piece from the ball it is like caramel corn. As the mixture was cooling, I added some red hots to give it a Christmas theme look. Another tip is to put each hand into a plastic sandwich baggy's and mold the popcorn into balls with these on. That way the warm caramel wont stick to your hands. These are sweet caramel corn tasting popcorn balls. Very delicious. If you dont like them sweet, you add the vinegar to tone it down. I used my hot air popcorn popper to pop 1/2 cup kernals.

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Reviewer:

3KIDS5

Reviewed: Oct. 7, 2007

These popcorn balls taste just like a gourmet popcorn shop from back home. They really taste rich and buttery! We must have popped too much corn, because ours weren't covered as much as the photo. Does anyone know how many cups of unpopped kernels makes 5 quarts popped?

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158 users found this review helpful

Reviewer:

Cokesmom

Cooking Level: Expert

Home Town: Harristown, Illinois, USA

Reviewed: Dec. 24, 2000

Kids of ALL AGES love these popcorn balls. Don't be thrown by the 1/2 cup of popcorn, that is the measurement for unpopped corn. Makes just the right amount!

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Reviewer:

GRANDMA RUTH

Reviewed: Nov. 2, 2002

These are absolutely the best! Just make sure you reach "hard crack" stage when doing the syrup. I did go to 300 deg. on my thermometer, but it wasn't quite hard crack and these wouldn't come off my teeth and I had to toss. However, the next batch turned out YUMMY and were perfect. I used about 3 tsp. of salt on the popcorn - seems like alot but you need to make them salt/sweet like the old fashioned kind. FABULOUS!

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Reviewer:

TWINS596

Reviewed: Feb. 13, 2006

I think your grandpa and my 92 year old grandma knew each other. She makes these every Christmas, two separate batches, one with green food color, and the other red. My 46 year old husband and 39 year old sister fight like kids over them every year!

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Reviewer:

Oh-Just-Try-It

Reviewed: Dec. 22, 2002

Thank you for sharing your Grandfather`s recipe. I made two batches this evening and they turned out great. I decided to add food coloring to mine(red and green for Christmas)at the same time I added the vanilla extract.

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54 users found this review helpful

Reviewer:

WASA

Reviewed: Oct. 30, 2005

We loved this recipe. I made a few batches for my preschooler to take to his Halloween party. We wrapped them in cellophane and tied them up with green pipe cleaners. I then attatched a green tag cut like a leaf saying Happy Halloween from my son. Next we curled up the pipe cleaners on a pencil to resemble a vine. Finally, we took a sharpie marker and made a jack-o-lantern face. These were so fun!!!!!

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Reviewer:

kabdo1221

Cooking Level: Expert

Home Town: Mountain Top, Pennsylvania, USA

Living In: Honesdale, Pennsylvania, USA

Reviewed: Dec. 13, 2002

What a perfect popcorn ball. Be patient with the syrup, candy making can be tedious but so worth the results. I might experiment and add a tad more butter for more richness. Super, super, super

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Reviewer:

GET COOKIN

Reviewed: Sep. 3, 2002

Such a WONDERFUL recipe!!! This is the first time that I've been able to make popcorn ball with success. This is a great, old-fashioned recipe that our family will enjoy for years to come. Thanks so much!!!

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49 users found this review helpful