June 29, 2022
People often use toffee and caramel popcorn interchangeably. However, the two products are different. Although both sugary candies are a favorite in desserts and snacks, they have vast differences in test, consistency, and effect. The variations become very apparent when added as a popcorn flavor.
Ingredient Differences
Toffee and caramel have different ingredients. Thus, the effect of both sugary delights on popcorn gives two varying tests. Toffee is a product of heating sugar or light corn syrup and butter at 300F. Therefore, it tastes like light buttery, and sugary candy. The sweet buttery taste balances well with the saltiness of the popcorn.
On the other hand, caramel has dark corn syrup, milk or cream, and water. Sometimes, caramel is simply the result of heating sugar or syrup until it thickens. Caramel popcorn gives the best balance of sweet and salty. The sugary goodness of caramel goes well with perfectly salted popcorn.
Sugar Crystal Differences
Another considerable dissimilarity between toffee and caramel is in the size of their sugar crystals. Toffee has tiny sugar crystals making it crunchy and easy to break. It is the reason toffee adds that cracking sound when coated on desserts or snacks like popcorn.
Conversely, caramel has large crystals making it chewy and soft. Therefore, you need a bit of expertise to make the best caramel popcorn because nobody wants to over-chew their popcorn. Topsy makes delicious finger-licking gourmet caramel popcorn with the perfect balance of caramel’s chewiness and the popcorn’s crunch.
Taste Differences
Toffee popcorns are much more buttery and sweet. They do not taste like butterscotch which leans more toward the butter scale than sweet. The crunch and munch effect also adds to the sweetness of toffee popcorns.
The melted sugar, syrup, or molasses on caramel popcorn makes it a sugary snack to enjoy. Unless you pop the popcorn in butter, your taste buds will revel in the sweetness and saltiness of this delicious treat. The best caramel popcorn also balances between the crunch and munch.
Differences in Recipes
Toffee popcorns are easy to make. Melt butter, sugar, light corn syrup, and salt in low heat for eight to ten minutes. Stir the mixture to maintain consistency. Drizzle a bit of vanilla and continue to stir. Apply the mixture to your popped popcorn and mix until evenly spread. Let the toffee popcorns dry before sealing them in an air-tight container.
For caramel popcorn, heat your dark syrup, brown sugar, milk or cream, or water in low heat. Mix the mixture to maintain the consistency of the resulting fluid. Add this to your premade popcorn and mix until the coat spreads evenly.
Alternatively, you can opt to buy Topsy’s gourmet caramel popcorn. The mouth-watering snack comes in air-tight containers to keep the popcorn fresh. The flavor is well balanced and provides all-rounded deliciousness. Call (816) 523-5555 and make your order today.
