Honey chai almond crunch

This one's for those who like their chai laden with spices (cardamom, clove, cinnamon, nutmeg and ginger). It's sweet but slightly savoury too, just like a good chai (popcorn) should be.

Credit: Belinda So

• serves

  4

• prep

  5 minutes

• cook

  15 minutes

• difficulty

  Easy

Ingredients

• 1½ tsp ground ginger
• 1½ tsp ground cinnamon
• 1 tsp ground nutmeg 
• ¼ tsp ground clove
• ¼ tsp ground cardamom
• 125 g (1 cup) slivered almonds, lightly toasted
• canola or vegetable oil
• 55 g (¼ cup) popcorn kernels 
• 60 ml (¼ cup) honey

Makes 8 cups

Cooling time 10 minutes

Read our tips on how not to screw up stovetop popcorn.

Instructions

Preheat the oven to 180°C.

Combine all of the spices and the almonds in a bowl and stir well.

Heat 1 tbsp oil and the honey in a small saucepan over medium-high heat until melted and combined. Remove from the heat and keep warm.

Heat 1½ tbsp oil in a 3-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 spice mix until all the popcorn is well coated, then add the remaining spice mix and toss again until well coated.

Add the honey mix and stir to coat well. Spread out on a large baking tray lined with baking paper. Bake for 10 minutes to dry out, then remove from the oven and move the sheet of baking paper to a wire rack to cool for 10 minutes – do not stir.

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.

View more ridiculously tasty recipes from our Popcorn Cup collection to celebrate the World Cup.

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.