Mexican hot chocolate popcorn recipe

Spiced with chilli and cinnamon, this Aztec-inspired popcorn is not too sweet, so you can eat it as a breakfast (of sorts) while watching the Mexico versus Brazil World Cup game on Wednesday 18 June at 5am AEST on SBS. The key is to toss the popcorn while it's piping hot to create a candy-like chocolate shell on the popcorn.

Serves 4
Preparation 5min
Cooking 2min
Skill level Easy

By
Belinda So

Ingredients

3 tbsp canola or vegetable oil
110 g (½ cup) popcorn kernels

Mexican hot chocolate mix

1½ tbsp cocoa powder
1½ tbsp icing sugar
1 tsp ground cinnamon
½ tsp chilli powder

Cook's notes

Oven temperatures are for conventional; if using fan-forced (convection), reduce the temperature by 20˚C. | We use Australian tablespoons and cups: 1 teaspoon equals 5 ml; 1 tablespoon equals 20 ml; 1 cup equals 250 ml. | All herbs are fresh (unless specified) and cups are lightly packed. | All vegetables are medium size and peeled, unless specified. | All eggs are 55-60 g, unless specified.

Instructions

Makes 10 cups

To make the Mexican hot chocolate mix, combine all the ingredients in a small bowl and stir to remove any lumps.

Heat the oil in a 3 or 4-litre saucepan with a tight-fitting lid over medium-high heat until just before it smokes. Add a popcorn kernel to the oil to test if it is hot enough; if it spins, then the oil is ready (see Note).               

Add all the popcorn kernels, swirl to cover the kernels with the oil, cover with the lid and cook, shaking the pan occasionally, for 1 minute 45 seconds or until the popping sounds have stopped.

Tip the popcorn in a large wide bowl and immediately toss with half of the hot chocolate mix until all the popcorn is well coated, then add the remaining mix and toss again until well coated.

Note

• The oil shouldn’t be smoking; if it is, remove from the heat until it stops smoking, then return to the heat.

Photography by Amanda McLauchlan, styling by Aimee Jones.