Rachel Khoo: Blockbuster Snacks

I’m fresh back from a trip to North America where, in the name of research, I ate more than my fair share of ‘junk food’, indulging in everything from classic hotdogs and pancake stacks to deep-pan Chicago pizzas topped with stringy ‘cheese’ and, of course, burgers and fries.

Unsurprisingly, these cornerstones of American food culture varied greatly in their deliciousness; something I learned the hard way on a cinema outing. I was served a batch of stale popcorn with weird fluorescent ‘butter’ squeezed on top. But it inspired me to try to fix their mistake when I got home. With the outdoor cinema season in mind, these bite-sized treats are perfect for a picnic at one of the open-air flicks.

Salted butter caramel popcorn clusters

Makes around 16-18

1 tbsp salted butter

80g popcorn kernels

For the salted butter caramel:

150g sugar

100ml double cream

40g golden syrup

40g butter

½ tsp salt

Heat the butter in a large, lidded frying pan on a medium to high heat. Add the popcorn kernels and place the lid on the pan. When you hear the corn popping, you are in action. Shake the pan to make sure all the kernels get popped. Once they sound like they have stopped popping, remove and set aside in a bowl.

Add half the sugar to a pan with 2 tbsp water. Place on a high heat and leave to melt. Do not stir; instead, swirl the pan around if necessary. Once the caramel becomes a dark reddish brown, take it off the heat and add the rest of the ingredients. Be careful not to stand directly over the pan as the caramel will steam and bubble a lot. Swirl the pan around before returning to a medium heat. Cook for 3-4 minutes or until the caramel reaches around 120C and is rich, thick and unctuous.

Stir into the popcorn and form into clusters in an oiled muffin tin or in cupcake cases. Leave in the fridge to set.