• 20 cups of popped corn (make sure you remove any unpopped corn)
• 125 g butter
• 2 c light brown sugar firmly packed
• ½ c corn syrup (available in the Asian section at most supermarkets)
• 1 tsp salt
• ½ tsp baking soda
• 2 c chopped nuts (optional)

Keep the freshly popped corn warm and crisp in oven (120 C). I usually use a couple of meat dishes, and it is a good idea to spray them liberally with cooking oil before you put the popcorn in.
Combine the butter, brown sugar, corn syrup and salt in a pot. Over a medium heat stir until the sugar dissolves, then continue to boil until the firm ball state. Remove from the heat and stir in the baking soda. (Syrup will foam.) Tell the children to stand back, work fast and pour hot caramel mixture over the popped corn and nuts. Stir to mix well.
Return to the oven (120 C) for about 45 mins, stirring every 15 mins. Watch carefully that it doesn’t burn. Cool and then store in air tight containers.

• 1 c self-raising flour
• 1 cup instant polenta
• 1 tbsp sugar
• 1 ½ tsp baking powder
• ½ tsp salt
• 2 eggs at room temperature
• 1 cup milk
• ¼ vegetable oil

Preheat the oven to 180C and grease and line a 20 cm square cake tin. Combine the flour, polenta, sugar, baking powder and salt in a large bowl.
Whisk the eggs, milk and oil. Stir into the dry ingredients until just combined, then pour into the prepared tin. Bake for 20 mins or until firm and golden. Cool slightly and then cut into slabs. Chopped coriander can also be added if you want an extra ‘herby zing’.