Ingredients:
20 cups prepared popcorn
2 cups brown sugar
1 cup unsalted butter
1/2 cup corn syrup
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon vanilla
Semi-Sweet Chocolate (optional)
White Chocolate (optional)
Chopped pecans (optional)

Directions:

Preheat oven to 200 F.

Prepare popcorn and place popcorn in a roasting pan or cookie sheet. You can either prepare it on the stove top or use microwave popcorn. If you are using microwave popcorn make sure you get the natural flavour otherwise your caramel corn will taste too salty. 

In a deep saucepan on medium heat bring to a boil brown sugar, butter and syrup stirring frequently.

Turn down the heat to medium low and boil at a slow boil for 5 minutes without stirring.

Remove from heat and add baking soda, salt and vanilla and mix well. You’ll notice that the caramel sauce will double in volume after adding the baking soda mixture. 

Pour caramel sauce over popcorn and toss. You’ll have to move fast because it’s hard to stir once the caramel cools. I found it helpful to place the popcorn in the oven to heat up a few minutes before the caramel sauce is ready to make mixing it all together a little bit easier. 

Bake on the top rack for 45 minutes to 1 hour stirring every 15 minutes.

Remove from oven and carefully transfer to a cookie sheet lined with parchment paper. Sprinkle your pecans on top of the popcorn if you are adding them. 

If you are adding the chocolate topping, place your semi-sweet chocolate in a ziplock bag and microwave at 30 second intervals until it is completely melted (be careful not to over heat because chocolate can burn very easily). Cut a small tip off the corner of the ziplock bag and drizzle chocolate all over your caramel corn. Repeat these steps with the white chocolate. 

Transfer to the fridge for approximately 30 minutes to cool and then bag them in ziplock bags or individual baggies, add some ribbon or a tag as I have. 

Note: these stayed fresh in their individual baggies for over one week.