Cranberry Popcorn Balls

• 3 quarts popped popcorn
• 1 12 cups water
• 1 teaspoon whole cloves
• 1 teaspoon whole allspice
• 2 cinnamon sticks
• 1 cup chopped frozen cranberries, thawed
• 1 13 cups sugar
• 2 tablespoons light corn syrup
• 1 tablespoon shredded orange peel
• 14 teaspoon ground nutmeg
• 3 -4 drops red food coloring

1. Preheat oven to 250F Place popcorn in a large, 4 inch deep, buttered baking pan.
2. Keep warm in the oven.
3. Pour water into a large buttered saucepan.
4. Securely tie cloves, allspice and cinnamon in a piece of cheesecloth and place in water.
5. Cover saucepan and simmer 20 minutes.
6. Remove spices from pan.
7. Stir in cranberries, sugar, corn syrup, orange peel, nutmeg and food coloring.
8. Cook over medium heat, stirring constantly until sugar dissolved and mixture begins to boil.
9. Continue cooking until mixture reaches 250F on a candy thermometer.
10. Remove popcorn from heat.
11. Pour syrup mixture slowly over popcorn, stirring to coat.
12. Shape into balls.
13. Allow to cool, wrap in plastic wrap, tie with colored ribbon and give as gifts during the holiday season.

popcorn, water, whole cloves, whole allspice, cinnamon sticks, frozen cranberries, sugar, light corn syrup, orange peel, ground nutmeg, coloring

Taken from www.food.com/recipe/cranberry-popcorn-balls-402690 (may not work)