Beer and Popcorn Fudg



Jasmine Fine of 1 Fine Cookie shares her unique recipe for a soft, beer fudge with a hint of maple. All topped with salty popcorn for the ultimate tailgating treat. Make this fudge for a football game, after a sporting outing, Father’s Day, Oktoberfest, and Saint Patrick’s Day.

Ingredients

  • Freshly popped popcorn (use Kernel Season’s™ Raw Popping Corn)
  • 5 Cup granulated sugar
  • 4 Cup brown sugar
  • 1 1/3 Cup half & half
  • 1 1/3 Cup heavy, dark beer* (try seasonal brews to make it more festive)
  • 8 Tablespoon butter (1 stick)
  • Optional: Kernel Season’s™ Popcorn Seasonings (use Salt or Milk Chocolate Caramel flavor)

Preparation

Step 1:

Butter the sides of a very large pot. Pour in sugars, half & half and beer (or milk and root beer).

Step 2:

Place pot on medium heat and stir frequently until dissolved. Using a candy thermometer set to soft ball stage or 236 degrees. Increase the heat to medium high until it begins to boil, stirring frequently then lower to medium low.

Step 3:

Stir mixture often to boil down while slowly reaching 236 degrees. The amount of liquid should evaporate substantially.

Step 4:

Once at 236 degrees, remove from heat and place butter in liquid. DO NOT STIR. Allow butter to melt and sit in liquid. Leave candy thermometer in mixture to gage when fudge has reached 110 degrees. Then scoop into a mixing bowl and immediately turn onto high speed. Important, do not mix or stir the liquid when adding the butter and waiting for it to drop to 110 degrees.

Step 5:

In the mixing bowl, whip on high until fudge begins to lose its sheen. Then quickly scoop into a parchment paper-lined 8×8 dish. Pat fudge down with a spatula then press seasoned popcorn on top. Lastly, feel free to shake on a little salt or seasoning on fudge and popcorn for an added dash of flavor.