This week, we are combining two of my favorite things
into one blog post: Popcorn and Christmas.
Popcorn was popular in World War II at Christmas. Not
only was it used as garland on Christmas trees, but it was used to make tasty
treats at the holidays. Peanut Butter Popcorn Balls provide a source of protein
and satisfy the holiday sweet tooth without forsaking the war effort.
Recipe from “Grandma’s Wartime Kitchen:
World War II and the Way We Cooked” by Joanne Lamb Hayes
Ingredients:
·
1 cup light molasses
·
2/3 cup
of light corn syrup
·
1 tablespoon of vinegar
·
1 teaspoon of salt
·
1/2 cup of peanut butter
·
1/2 teaspoon of vanilla extract
·
3 quarts of popped corn
Instructions:
·
Combine molasses, corn syrup, vinegar, and salt
in a heavy 3-quart saucepan. Bring to a boil over medium heat, stirring
frequently until mixture reaches 250oF or until a little syrup dropped
into cold water forms a hard ball. Remove from heat and stir in peanut butter
and vanilla.
·
While syrup is cooking, spread out popcorn in a
deep roasting pan. When peanut butter mixture has been combined, pour
immediately over popcorn and stir until popcorn is evenly coated.
·
Lightly oil hands and shape mixture into 12
balls. Set aside to cool completely.
 |
I will be honest, this recipe sounded much more promising
than what it turned out to be. It was more difficult and messy than I
anticipated in regards to mixing the molasses-peanut butter combination with
the popcorn. I’ve also never really liked molasses, and the popcorn balls
tasted more like molasses than peanut butter. They also did not stick together
well at all, even after putting them in the refrigerator.
Perhaps, the reason why I did not do too well with this
recipe is because I made it. I hope that you take time to try it out and I hope
that you have better results than I did, especially if you like molasses J
Until next time,
Maggie
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