Recipe: Popcorn balls

http://hickeryhollerfarm.blogspot.co.uk/2013/10/molasses-popcorn-balls.html

'1 cup molasses

1 cup corn syrup

1 teaspoon vinegar

3 tablespoons butter

1/2 teaspoon salt

2 quarts POPPED pop corn

Keep pop corn hot and crisp in oven. Cook molasses, syrup and vinegar t hard boil stage, Stir in butter and salt. Pour slowly over corn and shape into balls. 

Tops butter your hand well before handling and be careful because it is hot. Handle warm and shape balls quickly before it sets up. '

http://littlehouseontheprairie.com/fall-popcorn-balls/ - one of the most interesting recipes

https://toriavey.com/toris-kitchen/popcorn-balls/



The comments sections has useful tips, including using a mixture of molasses and karo syrup.

http://www.geniuskitchen.com/recipe/bare-bones-molasses-popcorn-balls-143526#activity-feed

http://www.eatliverun.com/old-fashioned-popcorn-balls/

'yields about 18-20 popcorn balls

Ingredients:

1 cup corn for popping (to yield about 15 cups popcorn)

1 tsp oil

1 cup water

1/2 cup light corn syrup

2 cups sugar

1/2 tsp vanilla

2 tbsp molasses

1 1/2 tsp salt

special tools —

candy thermometer

Directions:

Heat the oil in a large pot over medium/high heat. Once hot, add the popcorn kernels and place the lid on the pot. Increase the heat to high and shake the pot occasionally until all the corn has popped. Remove from heat.

In a small saucepan, combine the sugar, water and corn syrup. Increase the heat to high and boil the sugar mixture until a candy thermometer reads 250 degrees (hard ball stage). This will take approximately 15-20 minutes. If you don’t have a candy thermometer, just boil the sugar for 20 minutes and then proceed.

When the sugar mixture reaches the hard ball stage, remove from heat and stir in the molasses and vanilla extract. Pour this over the popcorn and toss well. Sprinkle salt over the popcorn and then toss well. Let sit until cool enough to handle.

Lay out a long piece of wax paper on your counter. With buttered hands, form the popcorn into balls and line up on the wax paper. They might appear to fall apart at first, but cup them with your hands until a tight ball has formed.

Repeat with remaining popcorn. The popcorn balls will keep up to a week in a sealed plastic container.

Time:

1 hour'

https://www.thespruce.com/molasses-popcorn-balls-3059301

http://www.crosbys.com/molasses-popcorn-balls/

'Molasses Popcorn Balls

Ingredients:

• 1½ cups Fancy Molasses
• ¾ cup sugar
• 1 tbsp butter or margarine
• 4 qts popped corn

Directions:

1. Combine Fancy Molasses, sugar and butter or margarine in a 2 qt. saucepan. Dissolve sugar by stirring. Cook over medium heat until mixture forms a hard but not brittle ball (250°-266°F) when dropped in cold water. Stir constantly. Dribble syrup over popped corn stirring to coat it all. Make balls with buttered hands when cool. Wrap in waxed paper.'

https://www.justapinch.com/recipes/dessert/candy/pops-molasses-popcorn-balls-taffy.html

http://www.grouprecipes.com/23063/molasses-popcorn-balls.html

• '10 cups popped popcorn shopping list
• 1 1/2 cups granulated sugar
• 1/2 cup water
• 2/3 cup molasses
• 1 tsp. vinegar
• 1/4 tsp. salt
• 3 tbs. butter or margarine
• Put sugar, water, molasses, vinegar and salt into a pot.
• Heat & stir until it starts to boil. Boil gently, without stirring, until it reaches the hard ball stage.
• Remove from heat. Add butter/margarine. Pour over popcorn in a large bowl.
• Mix until popcorn is coated with syrup. Form into balls.
• Makes 12 - 15 popcorn balls. Hard ball stage is 270F or when you drop a bit in cold water and it forms a hard ball.'

and poultry keeping tips - https://toriavey.com/home-garden/basics-of-poultry-keeping/