Popcorn Balls

Recipe by: Found somewhere on the 'net

Servings: 10

Prep time: 1:30

Categories: Candy, Halloween, Kids, Snack

Item	Amount	Measure	Note
water	1/2	cup
butter	2	tablespoons
salt	1/2	tablespoon
popcorn, air-popped	3	quarts
molasses	2/3	cup
vanilla extract	1	teaspoon
sugar	1 1/2	cups
white vinegar	1	tablespoon

Pick out and discard any hard kernels form the popped corn, and put the popcorn into a large mixing bowl, and set aside.

Boil the molasses, sugar, water, vinegar and the salt, watching closely, until it reaches 270°F on a candy thermometer, or test by letting some drop from a spoon into a cup of cold water. If the syrup forms a brittle thread, it's done.

Remove the molasses mixture from the heat and stir in the butter and vanilla. Pour the syrup over the popped corn a little at a time, stirring with a large spoon until it's well mixed.

Butter your hands lightly and gather up baseball-size handfuls, and pat gently into balls. Wrap individually into cellophane paper and tie with an orange ribbon. Makes 14 to 16 popcorn balls.

The first time I made this, I couldn't get the mixture up to hard ball without it smoking. Too much heat and it was burning, too little and the temperature wasn't climbing. Soft ball worked well enough. Also, a double batch of this stuff nearly overflowed my 4 1/2 quart dutch oven.