Bloody Candy Popcorn (Lactose Free!)

Welcome back to another lactose free recipe. This recipe marks the start of the spooky season. My favourite time of the year, Halloween.

 

For this weeks recipe I am starting Halloween with a fun little recipe that is relatively easy and delicious. Fresh popcorn coated with a sugary glaze, coloured to look deliciously bloody.

 

The secret to the bright colour is to use a gel food colouring. Also please remember you will be working with a very hot sugar glaze. Make sure you are careful not to spill any on yourself as the mixture will be very hot and sticky.

 

The recipes on this website have been tested with lactose free ingredients multiple times to ensure their success and deliciousness. As always, this recipe is lactose free providing you use the right ingredients. Always make sure your ingredients are safe.
Servings: 10 yield(s)
Prep Time: 30 mins
Cook Time: 30 mins
Total Time: 60 mins
Ingredients
  • 9 cup Pre popped popcorn (plain & not salted)
  • 1 & 1/2 cup Caster sugar
  • 1/2 cup Glucose syrup (or corn syrup)
  • 2 tbsp Margarine (lactose free) (Brand Used - Nuttelex Original)
  • 1 tsp Vanilla extract (or any other flavor)
  • 1 tsp Baking soda
  • Red gel food colouring
  • Extra large bowl
  • Long handled spoons
  • Baking tray
  • Baking paper
Instructions
  1. Pre-heat your oven to 100°C fan-forced and line a large oven tray with baking paper.
  2. Add your popcorn to a large bowl. You need enough room to mix the popcorn and not have any spill out.
  3. In a medium saucepan add the margarine, sugar and glucose syrup. Set on a low to medium heat.
  4. The mixture will look a little strange at first but eventually as it heats up it will liquify.
  5. When the sugar is dissolved and the mixture starts to boil add in several drops of red gel food coloring. Stir well.
  6. Be very generous with the food coloring.
  7. Reduce the heat to low and leave the mixture to bubble away for 5 minutes. Do not stir.
  8. Add in the vanilla and stir well.
  9. Add in the baking soda and mix well. You will notice that the mixture bubbles up and changes. This is a crucial step. It ensures that the mixture will be easier to coat the popcorn.
  10. Pour the mixture on top of the popcorn.
  11. Carefully and quickly stir the popcorn as best as you can to coat it.
  12. Spoon the popcorn onto the baking tray and flatten the best that you can. Baking will eliminate the stickiness of the popcorn and ensure a lovely crispy candy coating.
  13. Place the tray in the oven for 30 minutes or until the popcorn is no longer sticky. You will need to stir the popcorn every 15 minutes.
  14. Leave to cool down.
  15. Break any large chunks into smaller pieces.
  16. Congratulations you have now made bloody candy popcorn. Perfect for Halloween.
  17. Serve, devour and enjoy.