Pinch Maldon (or other flaky sea salt)
- Preheat oven to 250 degrees F. Line a rimmed baking sheet with aluminum foil.
- Pour popcorn into a large bowl and set aside.
- Melt butter in a large pot over medium-high heat. Add the brown sugar and corn syrup and bring mixture to a boil, stirring constantly so that it doesn’t burn. Reduce the heat to low and simmer for 5 minutes. Whisk in salt, baking soda and vanilla.
- Pour caramel sauce over the popcorn and toss until it is evenly coated with the caramel.
- Spread the mixture onto the prepared baking sheet or pan in an even layer. Sprinkle with flaky sea salt. Bake for about 1 hour, stirring to toss every 15 minutes, until the popcorn is a deep golden color. (Baking is key to crunchy caramel corn.)
- Remove the pan from the oven and let cool to room temperature. Break up the caramel corn with your hands or a wooden spoon. Store in an airtight container for up to a week.
