Popcorn Balls - cooking recipe

Ingredients

2 1/2 qt. popped corn (pick out all unpopped seeds)
1 c. sugar
1/2 c. water
1/4 c. white Karo syrup
1/2 tsp. salt
1 tsp. vinegar
1/2 tsp. vanilla

Preparation

Measure
popped
corn
into
buttered bowl (4 quarts or larger).
Combine
together
in heavy 1 1/2-quart saucepan the sugar,
water,
corn
syrup, salt and vinegar.
Stir over heat until
sugar
is dissolved.
Cover, bring to boil and let boil briskly
for 3 minutes.
Uncover, insert candy thermometer and cook
mixture to hard ball stage, 260\u00b0.
(I cook it until when you drip
a
little in a cup of ice water, it stays in a very hard ball.)
Remove
from heat.
Stir in vanilla and coloring (if wanted).
Pour
slowly
over popped corn, stirring with a large buttered
spoon
to
coat all corn.
Form into balls at once with buttered hands, handle gently to avoid packing.