
A historical confectionery from The White House cook book; a comprehensive cyclopedia of information for the home .. (1913). Rice corn is best for popping. Shake down popped corn so unpopped kernels settle at bottom. No flavor should be added to this mixture, as the excellence depends entirely upon the united flavor of the corn, salt and sugar or molasses.
Preserved exactly as written in the original source
Take three large ears of pop-corn (rice is best)
After popping, shake it down in pan so the unpopped corn will settle at the bottom
0 notes
Sign in to share your thoughts and connect with the community
Sign In to CommentLoading notes...
Put the nice white popped in a greased pan
For the candy, take one cup of molasses, one cup of light brown or white sugar, one tablespoonful of vinegar
Boil until it will harden in water
Pour on the corn
Stir with a spoon until thoroughly mixed
Mold into balls with the hand
Modern guidance to help you succeed with this vintage recipe
Boiling molasses, sugar, and vinegar together creates a candy syrup that reaches the hard-crack stage (300-310°F), where sugar molecules bond tightly to form a brittle, glass-like coating. The vinegar prevents crystallization by inverting some sucrose into glucose and fructose, ensuring a smooth candy shell rather than grainy crystals. The popped corn's irregular surface provides maximum adhesion points for the syrup, while its low moisture content prevents the candy from becoming sticky during storage.
Popcorn can be popped up to 2 hours ahead and kept loosely covered at room temperature. Do not make the candy syrup ahead—it must be poured over the popcorn immediately after reaching the hard-crack stage. Formed popcorn balls can be made up to 3 days ahead and stored as directed.
Wrap each popcorn ball individually in wax paper or plastic wrap to prevent them from sticking together. Store in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 1 week. Do not refrigerate, as humidity will make the candy coating sticky and the popcorn chewy.
AI-generated tips from Chef Cecil's culinary database
Popcorn can be popped up to 2 hours ahead and kept loosely covered at room temperature. Do not make the candy syrup ahead—it must be poured over the popcorn immediately after reaching the hard-crack stage. Formed popcorn balls can be made up to 3 days ahead and stored as directed.
Wrap each popcorn ball individually in wax paper or plastic wrap to prevent them from sticking together. Store in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 1 week. Do not refrigerate, as humidity will make the candy coating sticky and the popcorn chewy.