Turtles in a Cup Gourmet Popcorn

Ingredients

Featured ingredient: Turtles In a Cup Coffee 10 oz. Bag Ground

• 1 tablespoon plus 1 teaspoon Door County Turtles in a Cup coffee grounds (divided use)
• 1/4 cup heavy cream (divided use)
• 10 cups plain popped popcorn
• 3/4 cup chopped pecans
• 11 ounces caramel candy or caramel bits
• 3 tablespoons butter
• 1/2 teaspoon vanilla bean paste or pure vanilla extract
• 1/2 teaspoon sea salt
• 1/2 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips

Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 250°F
2. Finely grind coffee grounds using a coffee or spice grinder. Combine 1 tablespoon of the coffee grounds and cream in a small saucepan. Bring to a simmer over medium heat. Remove from heat and let sit 5 minutes. Strain cream using a fine mesh strainer (some flecks of coffee grounds will remain in cream after straining). Discard strained coffee grounds.
3. In a large heat proof bowl, combine popcorn and pecans.
4. In a medium size sauce pan, stir together caramel, 3 tablespoons of the cream, and butter. Cook over medium-low heat, stirring occasionally, until butter and caramel are melted and stir smooth.
5. Remove from heat and stir in remaining 1 teaspoon finely ground coffee, vanilla bean paste and salt.
6. Pour caramel over popcorn; mix lightly until popcorn is coated. Turn popcorn out onto on a large sheet pan lined with parchment paper.
7. Spread out in a single layer and bake 10 minutes, stir, and then bake an additional 10 minutes or until caramel is set. Let cool.
8. Heat chocolate chips and remaining 1 tablespoon cream in a microwave safe bowl for 1 minute on 50 percent power; stir.
9. Continue heating in 20 second intervals until chocolate stirs smooth. Alternatively, melt chocolate chips using a double boiler. Break popcorn apart into small clusters. Drizzle melted chocolate over popcorn.
10. Refrigerate 10-15 minutes or until chocolate is set.

*Tip: Popcorn can be easily popped in the microwave. Place 2-3 tablespoons of popcorn kernels at a time in a lunch size, brown paper bag. Fold and crease top of bag twice to close. Microwave on high heat 2-3 minutes or until popping slows. Turn popcorn out onto a large pan lined with a cooling rack. Un-popped kernels will fall through the rack to the pan below. Paper bag can be reused for additional batches as needed.