Chocolate popcorn recipe and its variations

Nowadays, popcorn, which is practically an indispensable snack when watching films, has a history that goes back hundreds of years. There is even some evidence to suggest that popcorn was known in what is now Peru as early as 4700 BC. Before the invention of cookers, popcorn was prepared using heated sand, and later popcorn was an important influence on the idea of the microwave oven.

High in fibre and low in fat, popcorn is also a healthy snack with only 31 calories per cup. You just have to make sure that you cook them with as little fat as possible and that you don''t over-salt them. If you want to avoid using oil altogether, you can bake the popcorn with a few tablespoons of salt, which will not be absorbed and can be easily removed at the end.

Instead of the usual way of preparing this very popular and "bouncy" snack (the popcorn can be carried up to one metre high during preparation), we recommend that you try a slightly more extravagant version next time... We have put together a few recipes for chocolate popcorn that are sure to delight the youngest members of your family in particular.

Recipe for classic chocolate popcorn

INGREDIENTS:
- 2 to 3 tablespoons of oil
- 150 grams of popcorn
- 100 grams of edible chocolate
- 30 grams of butter
- a packet of vanilla sugar

PREPARATION:
Prepare the biscuits as usual, then put them in a bowl and let them cool. Melt the chocolate over steam and add the butter and vanilla sugar. Cool the mixture a little, then spoon it over the popcorn. Place the well-drained popcorn on baking paper and leave to cool completely or to harden.

Recipe for chocolate popcorn from the oven

INGREDIENTS:
- larger bowl of prepared popcorn
- ¾ cup sugar
- ¼ cup corn syrup
- ¼ cup cocoa powder
- ½ cup butter
- teaspoon vanilla powder

PREPARATION:
Preheat the oven to 120 °C and grease a baking tray of suitable size. In a saucepan, combine the sugar, corn syrup, cocoa and butter. Heat over medium-high heat until it comes to the boil. Simmer for about 2 minutes, stirring in between to prevent the mixture from turning too sweet. Remove from the heat, add the vanilla to the mixture and then pour it over the popcorn, which you transfer to a baking tray. Bake for 30 minutes in the preheated oven, stirring several times during baking.

Recipe for chocolate-caramel popcorn

INGREDIENTS:
- popcorn made from one cup of popcorn
- 1 cup + 2 tablespoons sugar
- cup + 2 tablespoons corn syrup
- ¼ cup water
- 450 grams melted dark chocolate

PREPARATION:
To make the caramel, shake the sugar in a large saucepan and add the corn syrup and water. Heat slowly until golden brown. Stir in the popcorn, turning slowly with a wooden spoon to evenly distribute the caramel. Shake the caramel-coated coconuts on the baking paper and leave to cool, then transfer them to a bowl and pour the melted chocolate evenly over them (you can also use milk or white chocolate, if you prefer). Transfer them back to the baking paper and leave to cool.

Recipe for chocolate popcorn with white chocolate and peanut butter

INGREDIENTS:
- popcorn made with half a cup of popcorn
- cup peanut butter
- ¼ cup honey
- ¼ cup agave syrup
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- 100 grams melted white chocolate

PREPARATION:
In a saucepan, combine the peanut butter, honey and agave syrup. Heat, stirring constantly, until the ingredients are well combined and you have a liquid mixture, which you pour over the pre-prepared popcorn. Make sure they are evenly coated. Place the cupcakes on baking paper and drizzle with melted white chocolate. Allow to cool. It is best to use the popcorn while it is still fresh, but it can also be stored in an airtight container for a few days if necessary.