Popcorn itself is not a harmful product; it is just “exploded” corn kernels. But the quality of the butter (and especially how many times it was used) and artificial additives are exactly what turns us against children eating store-bought popcorn. It is much better to pamper your children with homemade popcorn, which is both safer and tastier.

To make popcorn at home, we will need corn kernels (pay attention to the composition of the product, there should be nothing foreign in the annotation, only corn) and vegetable oil. Popcorn can be popped in the microwave or simply on the stovetop in a pan. Practice shows that it is easier to make popcorn in a pan, because it is easier to ensure that it does not burn. Sweet or salty, caramel or chocolate, lemon-flavored popcorn - in this article you will find recipes for every taste.

How to make popcorn at home: in the microwave

Pour a little vegetable oil into the bottom of a plastic container and lay out the corn. You don't need a lot of grains, as they will greatly increase in volume. Shake the container so that the grains are covered with an oil film. It is important that the grains lie in one row. Cover the container with corn with a cap and place it in the microwave for about a couple of minutes (at full power). At first, intense and frequent popping noises will be heard, as soon as it becomes quieter, it’s a good idea to check the popcorn (it may burn a little and the taste of the dish will deteriorate).

How to make popcorn at home: on the stove

Pour a little vegetable oil into a saucepan with a tight lid (preferably transparent, so you can see the whole process) and heat it. To test, throw one grain into the oil; if it opens, it means the oil is hot enough. Pour in the grain, shake and cover with a lid. We remind you once again that the grain should only lie in one layer! As soon as popping noises begin to be heard, that is, the corn begins to explode, remove the pan from the heat. The remaining grains will open on their own because the oil is hot.

How to flavor popcorn at home

Now comes the fun part - adding flavor and aroma to the popcorn. Popcorn can be sweet, salty or spicy. Choose an option to suit your taste.

Salted popcorn

To make salted popcorn, salt the still hot popcorn with fine salt, preferably sea or iodized salt. You can add chopped dried herbs or spices. Some people add pepper (black pepper is especially good when combined with nutmeg).

Sweet popcorn

Children, of course, prefer sweet popcorn. The easiest way is to sprinkle the still hot popcorn with powdered sugar (you can add a little vanilla sugar or coconut).

You can make lemon or orange flavored popcorn. To make your own natural citrus flavor, you need to remove the zest from a lemon or orange, dry it and grind it together with sugar in a coffee grinder. The result is not only a fragrant, but also a colored additive. Try sprinkling this mixture on hot popcorn, it’s very tasty and beautiful.

To make caramel popcorn, melt a little good butter in a frying pan, add sugar and cook, stirring, until caramel forms. Then just pour the caramel over the popcorn and you're done. You can add a little cocoa to the caramel to make chocolate popcorn.

Homemade popcorn, , are great and quick ideas for children's parties.

Today we will tell you how to prepare the favorite treat of cinema goers - popcorn. To do this, you need to purchase or grow corn for popcorn on your plot, and devote very little time to preparing the product. Homemade popcorn is no less tasty than store-bought popcorn, and its ridiculous cost will be an excellent motivation for making it yourself.

How to make sweet popcorn at home in caramel in a frying pan?

Ingredients:

• – 60 g;
• vegetable oil without aroma – 55 ml;
• granulated sugar – 220 g;
• purified water – 40 ml;
• baking soda – 10 g;
• – 4-5 drops.

Preparation

First, let's prepare the popcorn itself. To do this, pour flavorless vegetable oil into a frying pan with a thick bottom and high sides and place it on the fire. Its intensity should be slightly above average. Now pour the popcorn corn into the pan and immediately cover it with a lid. After a few seconds, characteristic pops will be heard, which will indicate that the process is proceeding correctly. The kernels open up and turn into popcorn. During the entire frying period, periodically shake the pan so that the unopened grains sink to the bottom and the opened grains do not burn. After the frying stops, remove it from the heat and begin preparing the caramel.

Pour granulated sugar into a thick-walled saucepan or cauldron, pour in just a little water and add lemon juice. We put the vessel on the fire slightly below average and leave it alone for a while, only observing the processes taking place from the side. When the sugar begins to melt, taking on a liquid consistency, we tilt the vessel little by little in one direction or the other, wetting the undissolved crystals to speed up the process. It is not recommended to stir the contents of the bowl at this moment until all the sugar has melted. Then we begin to stir the caramel carefully so that it does not burn, and heat it until a beautiful amber color is obtained.

Now very quickly pour soda into the caramel mass, also quickly stir the foamed substance and pour it onto the popcorn, trying to distribute it evenly. Mix everything quickly and carefully, quickly transfer it to a baking sheet lined with a parchment sheet and level it, spreading the caramel-covered popcorn in one layer.

We leave the popcorn in the caramel to harden for about seven minutes and we can try it.

The process of making sweet popcorn can be greatly simplified. The taste of the finished product in this case is somewhat different from that prepared using the technology described above, but in the absence of free time, this method is simply a godsend. Pour the corn kernels into the pan, stir until the oil coats them evenly, then add the powdered sugar and stir again. After this, cover the frying pan with a lid and wait until the end of the cooking process and the opening of all the grains. When heated, the sugar will melt and give the popcorn a caramel flavor.

How to pop salted popcorn at home in the microwave?

Ingredients:

• corn for popcorn – 25 g;
• vegetable oil without aroma – 25 ml;
• fine salt “Extra” – to taste.

Preparation

When starting to cook popcorn in a microwave oven, and choosing dishes for this, we take into account that the corn significantly increases in volume and from the proposed amount you will get popcorn with a volume of approximately like one liter jar.

Place the corn in a glass bowl, sprinkle with vegetable oil, add salt to taste and stir. Cover the vessel with a glass lid or a second plate and place it in the device. We set it to 800 W and set the timer for five minutes. After the allotted cooking time has passed, leave the container with popcorn in the microwave for a couple more minutes. And only after that we remove it from the microwave and enjoy.

You can cook sweet popcorn in the microwave in a similar way, replacing the salt with powdered sugar. It is necessary to generously sprinkle the oiled corn kernels with it.

A little-known fact: January 22 is the birthday of the popular airy delicacy. Popcorn, or its other name - “puffed corn” came to us from ancient Mexico, the recipe for this delicacy became so popular with people that it is still prepared and loved by people of any age! Cooking it means keeping yourself busy in an exciting and fun process! This is an absolutely natural, low-calorie and satisfying product. And if popcorn is cooked correctly, it will be both tasty and healthy for the body!

The benefits of popcorn

One serving contains a lot of useful substances; a similar amount can be found in an apple, or a small portion of oatmeal porridge. In order to prepare delicious puffed corn, there is no need to go to the store; you can create this miracle at home with ease; the cooking process is very easy.

And it’s no coincidence that popcorn is a regular at movie theaters. Scientists have proven that it contains antioxidants. For those who are watching their figure, we simply recommend it because, firstly, popcorn is very filling, and a truly grain product, and secondly, it contains a minimum amount of calories! And finally, its main advantage is that this popcorn is full of retina!

The dangers of popcorn

Excessive heating of the special popcorn flavoring, diacetyl, can lead to lung diseases. Such cases are recorded annually at its preparation factories. Therefore, various food authorities recommend reducing its use to a minimum, although experts note that there is still no ban on the use of flavorings.

Tip: “To preserve the grains for a long time, it is best to pour them into a tightly closed container and put them in the freezer.”

There are several ways to make popcorn

Popcorn in the microwave

Equipment: microwave oven, special glassware with a lid

Ingredients:

• corn seeds,
• Use salt or sugar to your taste.

Method of preparation: pour 100 grams of seeds onto the bottom of the dish, add 30 grams of butter (use it at your discretion), add salt or powdered sugar to taste. Cover the dish with a lid as tightly as possible and place in the microwave for about 5 minutes. After this, you should transfer the popcorn into a large, deep bowl. Bon appetit!

Popcorn in a frying pan

Equipment: gas stove, large frying pan with a lid (preferably sealed). If you don't have a suitable frying pan, you can use a saucepan.

Ingredients:

• corn seeds,
• sunflower oil (you can also use melted butter),
• salt,
• powdered sugar to taste.

Method of preparation: Heat the frying pan over low heat, add butter, don’t forget salt or sugar - depending on your taste, add corn. Shake the pan periodically so that our popcorn does not burn. It is not recommended to open the lid while it is cooking, because the corn kernels “shoot”, otherwise you may get burned by the seeds jumping out of the pan, or they may jump out onto the floor. Transfer popcorn to a large, deep bowl. Bon appetit!

Tip: "To prevent the popcorn from getting soggy, remove the lid immediately after the corn stops popping to prevent steam drops from falling back onto the fresh popcorn."

If you wish, you can experiment with spices. You can add vanilla and cheese spices to popcorn. To make sweet popcorn, for example, you can make it orange flavored. Making your own natural citrus flavor is easy. To do this, you just need to remove the zest from the orange, dry it, and grind it together with sugar in a coffee grinder. The result is a fragrant and colorful additive. Worth adding this seasoning to hot popcorn! It will turn out very beautiful and tasty!

You can also make caramel popcorn

This is a more difficult process that requires your concentration and attention. To do this, you need to cook caramel, which should be handled carefully. To prepare caramel you will need: baking soda (minimal amount, perhaps not even using it), half a glass of sugar, butter - about 100 grams, about half a spoon of salt (teaspoon), about 100 ml of water. The proportions of water and sugar are 1/3, therefore, there should be three times less water than sugar. Fill the pan with sugar, fill it with water, add salt and butter. Mix thoroughly and heat to a boil. Sugar is stirred until dissolved. If sugar crystals get into the caramel, it may begin to crystallize and will not be as transparent as we need.

Cooking caramel lasts approximately 10 - 25 minutes. It requires constant stirring and careful monitoring of color changes. As soon as the caramel turns brown, it is a sure sign that it is ready. Advice for the future - don’t overcook the caramel! Remove it from the heat, add half a tsp to it. soda It is the soda that creates such a sharp reaction, and it is what will greatly increase the volume of the caramel: stir it with a whisk and pour it over the popcorn. Ready!

Don't be afraid to experiment! Treat yourself and your loved ones with this delicacy!

Tip: “To reduce the amount of fat, you just need to pour the grains into a paper bag, close it tightly and put it in the microwave for a few minutes until all the grains burst.”

So, if we take into account the harm of popcorn, it is quite insignificant. And the good news is that if you decide to make popcorn at home, then your body will not become a victim of the influence of various additives on your body! Everything is natural, healthy and tasty, and there are so many benefits from it! The main thing is not to overdo it with salt, seasonings and oil, and also follow all the rules of caution if you decide to prepare this delicacy.

What association comes to mind when you hear the word “cinema”? Most often it's popcorn. Indeed, no one can do without this dish in combination with sparkling water. You can not only buy popcorn in movie theater bars, but you can also make it yourself, because it’s very simple. How to do this and what flavors you can add to popcorn - read all this in this article.

Popcorn recipe

What is popcorn? These are corn kernels, exploded from the inside at high temperatures, with various additives. To make homemade popcorn, you need a special type of corn kernel - popping corn, regular corn is not suitable here. Such grains can be found on shelves in supermarkets.

You can make homemade popcorn using a frying pan, a saucepan on the stove, an oven, a slow cooker and a microwave. To improve taste, you can add it to popcorn, granulated sugar, and syrups. How to prepare this delicacy yourself? Some recipes are described below.

Simple popcorn

Ingredients:

• a couple of spoons of vegetable oil;
• a handful of corn kernels;
• salt, granulated sugar or powder, depending on your preference.

How to cook:

1. Pour a little oil into a saucepan, deep saucepan, or frying pan and place on low heat.
2. Heat the vegetable oil, then pour the corn evenly and cover tightly with a lid.
3. First you will hear rare pops, and after half a minute - a real bombardment. This is ready-made corn popping.
4. As soon as the explosions subside, you can remove the container from the stove, remove the lid and pour the finished mixture into a cup.
5. Sprinkle with granulated sugar or salt.

Cherry popcorn in the oven

What you will need:

• gelatin packet;
• corn kernels.

How to cook:

1. Pour in the grains and sprinkle with melted butter.
2. Dilute the gelatin in water and also sprinkle the corn with it. Close the lid.
3. Place in an oven preheated to 180 degrees for 4-6 minutes.

Popcorn with caramel

Ingredients:

• popcorn grains;
• half a glass of granulated sugar, you can take brown;
• 30-50 g butter.

How to cook:

1. Cook popcorn in a frying pan.
2. Melt butter in a saucepan, add granulated sugar. Cook until caramelized.
3. Ready syrup caramelize popcorn, pouring over the liquid mixture and mixing thoroughly. If you add a little cocoa powder to the mixture, you get chocolate popcorn.

Citrus popcorn

• corn grains;
• oil;
• granulated sugar;
• lemon or orange zest.

How to cook:

1. Dry the zest and mix with granulated sugar and grind in a coffee grinder.
2. Prepare popcorn any way you like.
3. Sprinkle sugar zest over the finished grains. The dish will turn out with a citrus aroma and taste, and also colorful.

How to make popcorn in microwave

The easiest way to make popcorn is using a microwave oven. There are a couple of options here:

1. Store-bought popcorn with any flavor - these can be found in almost any store. It takes 5 minutes to prepare; you just need to take the bag out of the box, straighten it, and put it right side up in the microwave. Turn it on and voila - the popcorn is ready. But such a product is made from something unknown, all sorts of additives, flavorings, taste enhancers, so it is not very good for the health of the human body.
2. From simple corn kernels - you will have to tinker a little to add flavor to the dish, but it is better and healthier than a store-bought product in a box. You can take a deep plate and pour in a little oil, although you can do without it. Pour in some grains, mix with oil, cover with a lid or other flat plate. Place in the oven, turning on for the required time. 3-5 minutes of explosions and the popcorn is ready. And what to sprinkle or water it with - decide for yourself. By the way, you can salt the grains before cooking.

Try improving your favorite snack in at least one of the ways described below, and you will never eat regular popcorn again!

1. Popcorn with Oreos

For a large pack of popcorn you will need approximately 12 cookies and 200 grams of caramels. Crush the Oreos and melt the caramels. Mix popcorn with crumbs and top evenly with caramel. The delicacy will be incredibly tasty!

2. Popcorn Margarita

True, it is non-alcoholic. This popcorn will satisfy your craving for something spicy. Add a pinch of salt and a couple of pinches of chili powder to a serving of corn. Add a tablespoon of lime zest and the snack is ready. You can add a little cilantro to the dish for flavor.

3. Popcorn with hot sauce and pickle

Sounds like a ridiculous whim of a pregnant woman. But hot sauce and brine actually go great together. In a sealable container, combine corn, a little hot sauce and three tablespoons of marinade. Give everything a good shake so that the seasonings are dispersed throughout the popcorn, and enjoy your meal.

4. Popcorn with chocolate shells and peanut butter

Peanut butter lovers will be delighted. As, indeed, do lovers of chocolate baskets. The following ingredients are needed for preparation:

8 cups popcorn; a pinch of salt;

• ½ cup honey;
• 1/3 cup sugar;
• ½ cup peanut butter;
• ½ tsp. vanillin;
• ½ cup baked milk with melted chocolate chips;
• ½ cup chocolates.

Season the popped popcorn with salt and spread evenly (preferably in one layer) on a baking sheet. Mix honey and sugar and bring to a boil in a small saucepan. Boil for a couple of minutes, remove from heat and add peanut butter to the mixture. Stir thoroughly until the latter melts. Then add vanilla and quickly pour the mixture over the popcorn. Pour warmed milk and chocolate on top and wait until it hardens. Add chocolates at the end.

5. Sweet and salty popcorn

You can't go past this sweet, salty peanut butter treat.

Mix a portion of corn with 3 tbsp. l. coconut (or any other) oil. In a separate bowl, combine crushed chocolate rice balls and peanut butter. Place the mixture in the microwave for a few minutes and then mix everything thoroughly. Add a little vanilla and pour the mixture over the popcorn. Voila!

6. Popcorn with a tasty mix

The big advantage of this recipe is that it can be customized. Combine different products. For example, crushed tortillas, pretzels and M&M's go well together. Popcorn with almonds, dried apricots and hazelnuts is also very tasty.

7. Popcorn with sugar and cinnamon

First, season the corn with oil. Then, in a resealable container, mix the popcorn with 2 tbsp. l. melted butter, 2 tsp. sugar and a couple of pinches of cinnamon.

8. Parmesan Garlic Popcorn

This snack has a rather spicy and interesting taste. To prepare it you need:

• 4 tbsp. l. butter;
• 1 clove of garlic, minced;
• 1 tsp. chopped rosemary;
• 1/3 cup popcorn;
• ½ cup grated parmesan.

Melt the butter and mix with garlic and rosemary. Cook for a couple of minutes over medium heat. Place warm popcorn on the surface in one layer, pour oil and garlic evenly over it and sprinkle with Parmesan cheese. Add salt and pepper to taste.

No establishment or manufacturer will make popcorn so cheesy. Although preparing it is easier than ever. You just need to melt 50 g of butter, pour it over warm popcorn, and sprinkle the cheese on top with crushed cheese to a powder.

It's a little tricky to prepare, but believe me, it's worth it!

Required ingredients:

• 1 cup butter;
• 2 cups sugar (preferably brown);
• ½ cup corn syrup;
• 1 tsp. salt;
• ½ tsp. soda;
• 1 tsp. vanillin;
• 5 glasses of popcorn.

In a medium saucepan, melt the butter and sugar. Add syrup and salt here. Bring to a boil, remembering to stir constantly. Then cook for another 4 minutes. Remove from heat, stir while adding vanilla. Pour the mixture over the popped popcorn on a baking sheet and place it in the oven. Cook for an hour, stirring the corn every 15 minutes. When the popcorn becomes brittle, it's ready.

This delicacy, among other things, can serve as an ideal decoration for a holiday table. Especially in a house where there are children. It is prepared from melted white chocolate (about ½ cup, to taste) and multi-colored sprinkles. Liquid chocolate is poured onto the popped popcorn, everything is mixed and sprinkled with powder.

12. Zebra Popcorn

The easiest way to make this dish is with caramel popcorn. But if there is no such thing, you can make it yourself - using melted caramel. Place the popped corn on parchment paper and pour over liquid hot chocolate – white and black. Wait for the chocolate to harden and enjoy.

13. Caramel Apple Popcorn

The dish is not so easy to prepare, but the result is simply amazing. You won't find popcorn like this from any manufacturer.

Required ingredients:

• 1 pack of apple chips (or thinly sliced ​​dried ones);
• 1 cup sugar (preferably brown);
• 1 cup corn syrup;
• ½ cup butter;
• 1 tsp. salt;
• 1 can of condensed milk.

Pop popcorn in the oven or microwave and mix with apples. In a small saucepan over medium heat, combine sugar, butter, corn syrup, and salt. Bring to a boil. Add condensed milk and cook for another 5 minutes, stirring constantly. Then pour the mixture onto the corn and apples (pre-arrange them on a baking sheet) and place everything in the oven for 45 - 50 minutes. Stir the dish every 10 minutes to ensure the popcorn bakes evenly. After you remove the snack from the oven, break it into pieces and let it cool slightly.

14. Popcorn with cookies and chocolate

Cookies with chocolate and marshmallows roasted over a fire are very tasty. Why not add this taste to your favorite movie snack? Take small cookies, popcorn, small marshmallows and chocolate buttons. Mix everything and put in the oven. Bake until the chocolate has melted.

15. Popcorn cake

Ingredients:

• 6 cups popped popcorn;
• 1 bar of white chocolate (melted);
• 1 cup baking mixture;
• ¼ pack of margarine;
• multi-colored sugar powder.

Mix hot chocolate with melted margarine and add baking mixture. Stir well, heating further in the microwave if necessary. Pour the resulting mixture over the popcorn, decorate with sprinkles and place the dish in the oven for 10 - 15 minutes.

16. Caramel Pecan Popcorn

To prepare it you will need:

• 6 tbsp. l. oils;
• 3 tbsp. l. corn syrup;
• ¾ cup sugar;
• ¼ tsp. vanillin;
• ¼ tsp. baking soda;
• 1 pack of black chocolate chips;
• 1 pack of white chocolate chips;
• ½ cup cashews.

Combine butter, syrup and brown sugar and bring to a simmer over low heat. After the mixture boils, stir it for another 4 - 5 minutes. Remove from heat, stir in baking soda and vanilla and pour over corn. Place the popcorn in the oven for 10 - 15 minutes. When you take it out, sprinkle it with chips and nuts while still hot. Stir until the chocolate melts.

17. Snickers popcorn

Make caramel according to the recipe described in the previous paragraph and pour it over the popcorn. Make mini Snickers and add them to the corn. Pour peanuts into the dish and pour melted chocolate on top - white, black or milk, to taste.

It is prepared in the same way as regular caramel. Just add half a pack of marshmallows to the mixture during cooking. And after pouring caramel on the corn, sprinkle it with coconut flakes. Marshmallow makes the filling sticky. Therefore, it is advisable to eat popcorn warm. When it cools, the caramel will harden. But of course, this will not spoil the taste at all.

19. Marshmallow popcorn

If you like toffee, you can make popcorn with only marshmallow sauce. To do this, melt a pack of marshmallows over medium heat with ½ stick of butter and ½ cup of sugar. Mix everything thoroughly until smooth and medium thick and pour over the corn.

And how can you resist this?!