Brown Butter Speculoos Mini Popcorn Balls

Welcome to Hallo-Treat Week!

When September rolls around my baking gene kicks in.  I mean FOR REAL.  It's like a sickness.  But while we could handle having these bad boys around the house, I don't risk the temptation and I'm going to make some of these for the little goblins that show up this year.  (If they don't show up, the Mr's co-workers get them...as usual)

This week is going to be full of yummy recipes that are 100 calories or less so that you can enjoy one or two with some careful planning before sending them to work, school or wrapping them up for some homemade trick or treat fun!

Let's get to the first recipe!

I have always wanted to make popcorn balls.  I've known how to make them but it just seemed like a bigger pain in the butt than I had the patience for.  (I know, great excuse right?)  But if I was going to commit to them, I wanted to make them with my own stamp on them.  Then I wondered how cookie butter would taste in there?  Or what about brown butter?  Or what about both?  That motivated me!

Brown Butter Speculoos Mini Popcorn Balls
(Makes 35)

1/2 cup TJ's Organic Popcorn kernels
6 tbsp butter
1 bag (10 oz) mini marshmallows
1/2 Speculoos Cookie Butter (or Biscoff Spread)

Hi guys!

In brown paper lunch bags, divide the kernels by four and pop in 4 batches until all kernels are popped.  (Makes about 4 quarts)  Just use regular ol' brown lunch bags, fold it over twice and lay it fold side down in the microwave.  Microwave until the pops are about 2-3 seconds apart, remove the popped kernels and return the rest to the microwave until all kernels are popped.  No oil necessary!

Put popped corn in a large bowl sprayed with cooking spray.

In a medium saucepan, melt butter on low heat.  THIS IS WHERE YOU DECIDE THE FLAVOR!

If you want the cookie butter/biscoff to be the predominate flavor, wait until butter is just melted then add the 1/2 cup of cookie butter/Biscoff.  If you want a more subtle, buttery, nutty flavor to shine through, brown the butter as listed below.

When butter is melted, turn up heat slightly.  Keep swirling the butter until it starts to foam up.  When you see the bottom start to have a slight tan build up, whisk it and just as it turns light brown, pull it off the heat.  Add the cookie butter/Biscoff and stir until melted.

Add the marshmallows and stir until combined.

Now it's about the time when it starts to thicken up and look like this that you'll freak out a bit wondering how the heck you're going to be able to coat the popcorn because it looks like a blob*.  You'll debate throwing it in the trash or to spackle roof tiles you meant to get to all summer.  Don't!  Trust me, it'll be thick-ish when it comes together.

Pour the goo on to the popcorn.  Quickly put on some food handling gloves (that's what I did and it worked great!) or spray your hands with cooking spray.  Toss, pull apart and roll around until it's all coated.  This will take a few minutes but if you keep at it and are careful not to crush the kernels as you toss, you will be rewarded.

Using an ice cream scooper as your guide for the first few, measure it out piled just above the top then form into a ball.

Don't smoosh it, just make sure they stick together.  Pull out any unpopped kernels that may have made their way in.  No one wants to chip a tooth!

Lay the formed balls out on wax paper, cover and let them harden for about an hour.

Cover in wax paper while waiting for them to cool.

Wrap in plastic, treat bags or put in cupcake liners if presenting on a platter.

Enjoy!

Nutritional Information per ball:  Calories 72  Total Fat 4g  Sat Fat 2g  Mono Fat 1g  Cholesterol 5mg  Sodium 20mg  Total Carbs 10g  Sugars 5g  Protein 1g  Vitamin A  1%  Iron 1%

*-I'll tell you what the blob reminds me of.  Remember the episode of Three's Company (Days of Beer and Weeds) when Mrs. Roper took flower arranging classes and they found out some of the filler flowers she used in her arrangement for the contest had cannabis in it?  Then Mr. Roper took that big blob of crap off the stool and threw it over her arrangement.  That's about the consistency of the mixture before putting it on top of the popcorn.


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