White Chocolate Popcorn Skull

The first time I made white chocolate-coated popcorn was in the kitchen of my first candy store back in the late 80's. We spent an entire week experimenting by throwing anything and everything we could find into chocolate.

Believe me, not everything tastes better in chocolate.

Fortunately, popcorn does. As soon as we started selling the chocolate-coated snack, it became one of our best sellers.

Holidays like Halloween were the busiest times in my candy store, and we always sold a lot of popcorn dressed up for the occasion. Usually, that meant just drizzling on holiday colors like orange and black, but sometimes I got much more creative and made things like this popcorn skull.

Creating shapes is so easy if you use plastic cake pans as a mold. Pouring the popcorn into a mold doesn't take any more time than spreading it on a baking sheet and it takes minutes to decorate them with more chocolate. You can have this skull ready to serve in about 30 minutes.

White Chocolate Popcorn Skull

Ingredients

popcorn

white candy melts (compound chocolate/confectionery coating)

dark cocoa candy melts or black candy melts

Supplies

1 skull-shaped cake pan - If you can't find the plastic cake pan that I used, you can use a non-stick cake pan. If you use an aluminum cake pan, you'll need to line it with plastic wrap so that the skull will pop out of the mold.

air popper for the popcorn or a plain brown lunch bag and a microwave

extra large mixing bowl

disposable pastry bag or a zip-top bag

Pop popcorn.

Pop ⅓ cup of popcorn kernels in an air popper.

If you don't have an air popper, then place your kernels in a plain brown lunch bag, fold the top of the bag over a few times, and heat in the microwave on high power for 2-3 minutes until you hear the popping of the kernels slow to one to two pops per second.

Times will vary because every microwave heats differently.

Remove un-popped popcorn kernels.

However you pop your popcorn, you'll want to place the popped kernels in a very large mixing bowl and discard any unpopped kernels. I shake my bowl, then scoop handfuls of popcorn out into another large mixing bowl. Then all the unpopped kernels and really small pieces of popcorn end up at the bottom of the bowl and are thrown away.

You can also use a Kernel Katcher Popcorn Sifting Bowl. I've always wanted a sifter that does this and just found these on Amazon. I just might have to add one to my kitchen collection. If you have one, I'd love to hear how well it works.

Make white chocolate popcorn.

See my chocolate making tips page for melting instructions.

Pour melted and tempered white chocolate or melted white confectionery coating over popcorn. Use a large spatula or spoon to gently fold the popcorn and chocolate just until the popcorn is covered.

If you stir for too long, the chocolate will begin to harden and you will end up with spikes of chocolate on your popcorn.

Fill the skull cake pan with popcorn.

Quickly spoon the white chocolate popcorn into the skull mold, pressing down, making sure the top is level.

Refrigerate if using white chocolate, freeze if using confectionery coating, until set, about 15 minutes.

Unmold.

To un-mold, hold your hand over the popcorn, turn the mold upside down, and set it just above your work surface, press gently on the mold, and allow the popcorn skull to fall out.

If it won't release from the mold, it may need a few more minutes of chilling time.

Pipe chocolate details.

Pour melted and tempered dark chocolate or melted dark cocoa candy melts into a disposable pastry bag or zip-top bag.

Snip off one tip.

Pipe on eyes, nose, and mouth.

Refrigerate for 7-10 minutes until set.

Storage

You can keep this covered in plastic wrap at room temperature for up to 2 days.

To keep it longer, place it in a large metal popcorn tin. It will keep up to 3 weeks if stored in an airtight tin.

Related Recipes

If you have fun making a popcorn skull, you might also enjoy making these other skull-shaped treats.

Skull Cookies

Cakesicle Skulls

Brownie Skulls

Be sure to check out all of my Halloween recipes. You'll find more skull-themed recipes and many more appetizer and dessert ideas.