A low FODMAP recipe from Naomi Josepher, Jon Payson & Georgia Freedman’s cookbook
There’s Always Room for Chocolate
Note: We received this cookbook from the publisher- but all opinions are our own. This post may include affiliate links. Please see our complete disclosure here.
Craving something sweet, crunchy and chocolaty? Look no further than this Chocolate Caramel Popcorn from the book There’s Always Room for Chocolate.
The book is packed with recipes from Brooklyn’s famed Chocolate Room and this treat is as indulgent as they come. And every single part of it was already perfect for us on a low-FODMAP diet – just don’t go overboard.
Treats like this tend to be a bit addicting and we suggest trying out ½ cup (120 ml) portions and see how you do. We find that when we make desserts and sweet treats from scratch and use really high quality ingredients that we are satisfied more readily than when eating commercial junk food with all kinds of artificial flavorings and poor quality ingredients.
This recipe, along with their Chocolate Almond Flan, are perfect if you like to create desserts but are still trying to adhere to your diet. Sometimes indulging a little bit keeps us from eating too much of something that is truly not within our low FODMAP scope.
From The Book
Our take on this classic ballpark treat is rich and decadent. Instead of using a thin candy coating, we make a rich, flavorful caramel and coat each popped kernel of corn with a thick layer of it. (To really coat the popcorn well, we put it and the caramel into a heated oven a few times to keep the caramel from firming up to quickly.)
Then we drizzle the caramel corn with enough semisweet chocolate to cover every piece of popcorn, and break the whole thing into large, satisfying chunks.
This treat is particularly popular around the holidays—our customers buy so much of it that we make multiple batches every day and still can’t keep up with the demand.
Published with permission. There’s Always Room for Chocolate by Naomi Josepher, Jon Payson + Georgia Freedman Published by Rizzoli, 2017©. Ben Fink © photographer.
Chocolate Caramel Popcorn
Chocolate Caramel Popcorn is an indulgent, occasional treat so used the very best chocolate you can afford.
Low FODMAP Serving Size Info: Makes about 15 cups; 30 servings
Ingredients:
- 1 tablespoon vegetable oil
- 1/2 cup (4 ounces/115 g) unpopped popcorn kernels
- 1 1/4 cups (248 g) granulated sugar
- 3/4 cup (180 ml) water
- 1 tablespoon light corn syrup
- 6 tablespoons (¾ stick; 85 g) unsalted butter
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
- 16 ounces (455 g) dark chocolate, preferably 60% cacao mass
Preparation:
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Preheat the oven to 350°F/180°C. In a large pot with a lid, heat the oil and popcorn kernels over medium heat, shaking the pot occasionally, until the kernels pop. Remove from the heat when the popping sounds slow down to one every 2 or 3 seconds so you don’t burn the popcorn. Transfer the popcorn to a large metal bowl or a deep, oven- proof casserole dish, and remove any remaining unpopped kernels or burned bits; set aside. If any of the popcorn burns, the acrid flavor will permeate the whole batch; it’s better to have too many unpopped kernels (which can be reused) than to risk burning even one piece of popcorn.
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In a medium-large saucepan, combine the sugar, water, and corn syrup. Use a wet paper towel to wipe down the sides of the pot and have a cup of water with a pastry brush nearby. Bring the mixture to a vigorous boil over high heat. If sugar crystals form on the sides of the pan, brush them down with the wet pastry brush. When the sugar syrup begins to take on a golden hue along the edges, reduce the heat to medium-low so it doesn’t cook too quickly, and cook, shaking the pot frequently to distribute the cooked sugar, until the caramel has a dark golden color, then immediately remove from the heat. Add the butter, baking soda, and salt, standing back from the saucepan to avoid the steam. Stir in the butter until it is evenly distributed and the caramel has taken on an orange hue.
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Pour the caramel over the popcorn and stir it with a rubber spatula. When the caramel becomes too stiff to work with, put the entire bowl in the oven and let it heat for 3 minutes to soften the caramel, then remove and continue to stir. Repeat this process until all the popcorn is at least partially coated with caramel, scraping the bottom of the bowl each time to make sure you’re using any caramel that has pooled there.
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Line a sheet pan with parchment paper, pour the caramel-coated popcorn onto the pan, and use the rubber spatula to spread and press the popcorn into one layer. Set the popcorn aside to cool.
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When the popcorn has cooled to room temperature, temper the chocolate using any tempering technique, then bring it up to working temperature. When the chocolate is ready, divide it between two pastry bags. Cut a small hole in the end of one bag and drizzle the chocolate across the top of the popcorn in a zigzag pattern. When you reach the end of the tray, repeat the zigzag pattern in the opposite direction so that you create an uneven crosshatch pattern; you should use all the chocolate in the first bag. Set the pan in a cool place until the chocolate has set enough that it is firm to the touch (to speed up this process, you can put the tray in the refrigerator for a minute). Flip the entire slab of popcorn so that the chocolate- covered side is down, and drizzle the other side of the popcorn with the second bag of chocolate. (If the chocolate stiffens up too much while the first side is setting, it can be heated for 5 to 10 seconds in the microwave or over a saucepan of hot water to bring it back to working temperature.) Set the popcorn aside to let the chocolate solidify. When the chocolate has set, break the popcorn into large chunks.
Notes:
Tips
- Make Ahead : The finished popcorn will stay fresh in an airtight container or cellophane bag, if it’s well sealed, at room temperature for 2 to 3 weeks.
- Above and Beyond: To make Spiced Caramel Popcorn – Add 1 teaspoon ancho chile powder and 1⁄2 teaspoon chipotle chile powder when you add the salt, baking soda, and butter to the caramel. The chile can become fragrant as it heats up, so stand back from the pot so it won’t irritate your eyes. (Dédé’s note: Monash has lab tested ancho, yet they have NOT provided a low FODMAP amount. Know your tolerances.)
Nutrition
All nutritional information is based on third-party calculations and should be considered estimates. Actual nutritional content will vary with brands used, measuring methods, portion sizes and more. For a more detailed explanation, please read our article Understanding The Nutrition Panel Within Our Recipes.
