Bacon and Cashew Caramel Corn

Ingredients

• 6 ounces bacon chopped
• 0.5 cup cashew pieces raw unsalted (one 2.5-ounce package)
• 0.3 teaspoon ground pepper 
• 1 teaspoon kosher salt 
• 2 tablespoons plus light
• 0.3 cup cup heavy whipping cream 
• 0.5 cup popcorn kernels 
• 1.5 cups sugar 
• 1  ginger tea bags 
• 2 tablespoons vegetable oil 
• 0.3 cup water 

Equipment

• bowl
• frying pan
• baking sheet
• paper towels
• oven
• pot
• aluminum foil
• spatula
• slotted spoon
• pastry brush
• oven mitt

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 300°F.
2. Heat popcorn and oil in covered heavy largepot over medium-high heat until kernelsbegin to pop. Using oven mitts, hold lid onpot and shake pot until popping stops.
3. Pourpopcorn into very large bowl. Cook bacon inheavy large skillet over medium heat untilalmost crisp. Using slotted spoon, transferto paper towels to drain; cool.
4. Add baconand cashews to bowl with popcorn.
5. Sprinklewith coarse salt and cayenne; toss to coat.
6. Bring cream and tea bag just to boilover medium heat.
7. Remove from heat; letsteep 15 minutes, occasionally pressing ontea bag with back of spoon to release flavor.Discard tea bag.
8. Line rimmed baking sheet with foil;coat with nonstick spray. Coat 2 woodenspoons or heat-resistant spatulas withnonstick spray; set aside. Stir sugar, 1/4 cupwater, and corn syrup in large saucepanover medium-low heat until sugar dissolves.Increase heat to high; boil without stirringuntil syrup turns deep amber, occasionally swirling pan and brushing down sideswith wet pastry brush, about 13 minutes.
9. Remove from heat and immediately addcream (mixture will bubble up). Stir untilblended. Immediately drizzle caramel overpopcorn mixture; toss with sprayed spoonsuntil evenly coated.
10. Transfer to sheet.
11. Place caramel corn in oven and bakeuntil caramel is shiny and coats popcorn,tossing mixture occasionally, about 20minutes. Cool completely on sheet on rack,tossing occasionally to break up largeclumps. DO AHEAD: Can be made 2 daysahead. Store airtight in refrigerator.
12. The folks at Colt & Graysuggest The Derby, a classic cocktail made withbourbon, Bénédictine, and bitters.