Easy homemade popcorn ball recipe (using JELL-O) (2024)

FAQs

What are popcorn balls made of? ›

Combine corn syrup, butter, water, confectioners' sugar, and marshmallows in a saucepan over medium heat. Heat and stir until the marshmallows have melted and the mixture comes to a boil. Carefully pour hot marshmallow mixture over popcorn and toss together to coat each kernel evenly.

A top reason popcorn turns out chewy is because steam gets trapped in your pot when the popcorn kernels are popping. Fix this by using a well-vented lid or leave the pan slightly open to make a light and crispy popcorn.

Nutritional yeast, MSG, miso, Parmesan cheese, dulse granules, mushroom powder, fish sauce, and shrimp paste are all savory powerhouses that will make any bowl of microwave popcorn sing.

Why are my popcorn balls falling apart? This can happen if the syrup mixture is not cooked to the correct temperature (soft-ball stage) or if the popcorn is not evenly coated. Ensure the syrup reaches 235°F and stir thoroughly when mixing with the popcorn.

If the syrup mixture is too hot it won't allow the popcorn to hold together and if it has cooled too much it will make it difficult to mold and form the popcorn into balls. The second issue can also be that there is not enough of a syrup to popcorn and toppings ratio.

How should I store popcorn balls? Popcorn balls will last for up to 5 days when stored properly in tightly sealed containers at room temperature. We recommend that you test your candy thermometer before each use by bringing water to a boil; the thermometer should read 212°.

A good lid is important when making popcorn, but there's a bit of a strategy here. For the best results, and lowest number of un-popped kernels leave the lid open just a hairline amount. It allows any steam or moisture to get out as well, resulting in fluffy kernels.

Use a microwave safe bowl that is large enough to contain all the popped kernels (1/4 cup kernels yields about 6 cups of popped popcorn). If you use a glass bowl, make sure it is tempered glass and can handle the high heat. A vented microwave food cover is needed for this recipe.

No popcorn is complete without the taste of butter. Also, keep in mind that a little Flavacol goes a long way. You can always add more if you think you need it. My personal trick is to mix two tablespoons of whatever oil I have with one teaspoon of Flavacol in a pot over medium heat on the stove.

Why is my homemade popcorn tough? ›

If you totally seal the pot with the lid, the popcorn may get an unappealing, chewy texture from the steam trapped inside. Leave the lid cracked, so the popcorn won't pop out, but steam will have the chance to escape.

Use medium heat, use good quality oil (which has a higher smoking point), fresh popcorn (cause stale will pop like crap), ensure you shake the pot while making it to toss the unpopped kernels to the bottom of the pan, and make sure you remove it from the heat and dump it when you have a two second pause between pops.

Use four tablespoons of coconut oil for the true movie theater flavor, or use canola oil if you want to be a bit healthier. Put the salt into the oil and stir it up until it is well mixed. Then put it into the whirley popper and put it on the stove on medium heat.

Is Eating Popcorn Safe for Dogs? Yes and no. Plain, air-popped popcorn is safe for dogs to eat in small quantities. Buttered popcorn or popcorn with other toppings is not safe for your dog on a regular basis, although eating a few dropped pieces here and there probably won't hurt them.

The kernel literally turns inside out. The starch or endosperm is the white part of the popped kernel and the pericarp or hull is the darker, flaky bit at the center of the kernel.

Mushroom popcorn, as the name suggests, boasts a round and compact shape that closely resembles a mushroom cap. Its key feature is its ability to pop into a dense, large, and rounded ball with fewer hulls compared to other popcorn varieties.

Mushroom Popcorn's most distinctive characteristic is the round, ball-like shape into which it pops, which are perfect for holding toppings, glazes, caramel and chocolate.

Like all seeds, a popcorn kernel contains the start to a baby plant. Also inside the seed is food for the plant as it begins to grow. When a kernel pops, this plant food known as starch, becomes the fluffy and tasty part we recognize as popcorn.