Caramel Corn Puffs

Ingredients

• 1 bag puff corn (about 5 ounces)
• 1 c. brown sugar
• ½ cup butter or margarine
• ¼ cup light corn syrup
• ½ tsp. vanilla
• pinch salt
• ¼ tsp baking soda

Directions

Crunchy Version

1. Pour puffed corn into a large bowl, large enough to stir the final mixture without making a huge mess.
2. Combine brown sugar, butter, corn syrup, vanilla and salt in saucepan.
3. Boil 4 minutes, stirring continually, if you want the crunchy version.
4. After the allotted boil time, remove from heat and stir in baking soda. Mixture will foam.
5. Pour mixture over puffed corn and stir until all pieces are evenly coated.
6. Lightly grease or spray a large cookie sheet or roaster pan.
7. Heat oven to 250 degrees.
8. Quickly spread mixture onto baking sheet. (You need to move fast. It will start to harden up in the bowl.)
9. Bake at 250 degrees for 45 - 60 minutes, stirring every 10-15 minutes.
10. Let cool and then break into pieces.

Soft Version

1. Pour puffed corn into a large bowl, large enough to stir the final mixture without making a huge mess.
2. Combine brown sugar, butter, corn syrup, vanilla and salt in saucepan.
3. Boil 2 minutes, if you want soft corn puffs, stirring continually.
4. After the allotted boil time, remove from heat and stir in baking soda. Mixture will foam.
5. Pour mixture over puffed corn and stir until all pieces are evenly coated.