Holiday Popcorn Balls

Yield: 8 large popcorn balls

Ingredients

Equipment

• Ribbon
• Small Christmas trimmings
• Sequins and small spangles
• Dressmaker pins with colored heads

Popcorn

• 5 quarts warm unsalted popped popcorn

Glaze

• 2 cups granulated sugar
• 1 1/2 cups water
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 cup light corn syrup
• 1 teaspoon vinegar

Instructions

1. Keep popcorn warm in a 300 degrees F oven.
2. Butter sides of heavy saucepan. In it, combine sugar, water, salt, corn syrup and vinegar. Bring to a boil, stirring until sugar dissolves. Cook without stirring to hard-ball stage (250 degrees F on a candy thermometer).
3. Pour slowly over hot popcorn, mixing well.
4. Butter hands lightly; form 4 inch balls.
5. Let balls dry thoroughly.
6. Decorate with ribbon, trimmings, sequins, and spangles, holding all in place with pins.
7. To hang, pin ribbon loops at top of balls; or use balls as table decorations.