Spicy Caramel Popcorn Clusters

Ingredients

• 1 cup roasted peanuts
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1 teaspoon chili powder
• 1/2 teaspoon sugar
• 1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper
• 1/3 cup popcorn
• 3 tablespoons canola oil
• 1/2 cup unsalted butter
• 1 cup brown sugar
• 1/2 cup light corn syrup
• 1/2 teaspoon baking powder

Directions

1. Put the roasted peanuts in a large bowl; the popcorn will go in there later. In a separate small bowl, stir together the salt, chili powder, sugar, and cayenne. Cover a baking sheet with parchment paper and keep it nearby.
2. Pour the canola oil into a large pot and set it over medium heat. Drop in 1 popcorn kernel, then cover the pot. Once that kernel pops, the oil is ready.
3. Take out that 1 popped kernel, then add all the popcorn. Move the pot off the heat, cover it, and wait 30 seconds so the kernels can warm through evenly. Put the pot back over the heat and shake it vigorously as the popcorn pops, which helps keep it from scorching.
4. Once the popping drops to a few seconds between pops, take the pot off the heat and tip the popcorn into the large bowl with the peanuts. A few unpopped kernels are fine; they are much better than burned popcorn.
5. For a more detailed popcorn-popping guide, see HERE.
6. Melt the butter in a medium pot over medium heat. Stir in the brown sugar and corn syrup until everything is well combined. Continue cooking over medium heat for 6 to 8 minutes, until the caramel thickens and clings to a rubber spatula when you lift it.
7. Stir half of the spice mixture into the caramel, then add the baking powder and mix thoroughly.
8. As soon as the caramel is ready, pour it over the popcorn and peanuts while it is still hot. Move fast here, stirring until the popcorn is coated.
9. Transfer the popcorn to the parchment-lined baking sheet. With a rubber spatula, press it into an even layer, then sprinkle the rest of the spice mixture over the top.
10. Once the popcorn has cooled a bit, shape it into balls if you like, or leave it as loose, freeform clusters. Store the clusters at room temperature in an airtight container for a few days, and probably up to a week.