Preheat the oven to 275 F
Make 1 cup of popcorn. You can heat it a little at a time in 2 Tbsp oil in a pan over high heat, or airpop it, or make two bags of microwave popcorn and take a little out. Grease a roasting pan or two cake pans, and put the popcorn in them in the oven to keep it warm.
You'll need:
1 1/2 cups packed brown sugar
3/4 cup butter
1/4 cup and 2 tablespoons light corn syrup
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 regular package chocolate chips, divided in half
Melt the butter in a large saucepan and add the brown sugar, corn syrup, and salt. Stir well, bring to a boil, and continue cooking for 5 minutes without stirring. Turn the heat off and stir in the baking soda and vanilla. Pour it over the popcorn, distributing evenly. Bake for 15-25 minutes, stirring every 5 minutes.
Spread caramel corn out on wax paper. Melt half of the chocolate chips in the microwave for 30 seconds at a time until smooth. Dip a spoon in the chocolate and drizzle over caramel corn. Let cool and turn as much of it over as you can (it will be in clumps) and repeat, drizzing the other side. Let cool and store in an airtight container.
with walnuts: add nuts or other additions to the sauce before pouring over popcorn, or else it won't all stick together.
both
close-up: the chocolate was still melty
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