JACKSON POLLOCK POPCORN (aka Chocolate Drizzle & Peppermint Popcorn)

by Mandee Hammerstein

Founder and Editor, Mandee Hammerstein turns the baking pan into a canvas, getting abstract with a super-simple, not so sinful holiday treat with her “Jackson Pollock Popcorn.”  The hardest part of this recipe is peeling the plastic off the candy canes as you anticipate the deliciousness ahead!

No oven needed!

Ingredients:

-1 cup of air-pop popcorn kernels (Pop Secret Jumbo Kernels recommended)

If an air-popper isn’t handy, use two bags of natural flavored microwave popcorn instead

-Popcorn butter spray – to taste (traditional melted skews soggy). Olive oil spray is also tasty and healthy substitute over butter spray

-Tablespoon of Iodized Salt – or to taste

-Himalayan Sea Salt – for visual taste as garnish upon chocolate drizzle

-1/4 cup of dark brown sugar

-6 smashed peppermint candy canes (Brach’s is recommended)

-1/2 bag of chocolate chips (Ghirardelli is best, dark was used)

-1/4 cup of Ghirardelli vanilla chips

-1 cup of walnut pieces

-Green sugar sprinkles

Steps:

One:

Pop the kernels, spread over your baking sheet, then lightly spray with butter or olive oil spray

Two:

Add the teaspoon of iodized table salt – sample as you go, don’t make it too salty

Three:

After lightly coating the popped corn with spray and salt, sprinkle brown sugar – if it clumps here and there, no worries

Four:

In a dry zip lock bag, pour in the walnuts and add candy canes, now take out any holiday frustrations out on this bag, using a wooden spoon, crush the contents.  Don’t totally maul, the candy canes especially make for a nice visual garnish intermixed in the final, artistic presentation.  Be sure to save then use any leftover candy cane powder created to further sprinkle atop the popcorn too at the very end! 

Five:

Using a total of a ½ bag of the Ghirardelli chocolate chips, pour a ¼ of the bag (don’t melt too much at once) into a microwave safe bowl and heat for 30 second intervals, stirring in between each interval until reaching a milky (thicker milk if you can imagine) consistency

Six:

This is where the Jackson Pollock embodiment comes in.  Bring the chocolate bowl over the popped corn baking sheet, taking a tablespoon, dip it into the melted chocolate and start drizzling or splattering (depends on your mood) over your popcorn canvas (baking sheet)

Seven:

Sprinkle the smashed walnuts and candy cane mixture on to the newly warmed chocolate drizzle – let it stick if possible

Eight:

After the chocolate hardens a bit (within a few minutes – take a walk, use the bathroom or nap), move around any potential untouched popcorn, melt the other ¼ of the bag of chocolate chips and do more of your best Pollock by adding more chocolate drizzle. While moving around popcorn layers be gentle, don’t smear your drizzling/splattering artistry.  Repeat step six upon the drizzle, adding more smashed walnuts and candy canes. Sometimes lightly adding more butter or olive oil spray is ok in between these steps

Nine:

Add in the vanilla chips, think of it as a ribbon of tasty, monochromatic garnish to be gleefully discovered as an added accent throughout the work of art

Ten:

On the final top layer, time to get a little splashy with green sprinkles and Himalayan sea salt – don’t over do it, it’s more for holiday visual appeal than for taste

Finally, present your popcorn canvas in your favorite bowl or bag it up with a bow and gift it as a hostess treat!