Caramel Popcorn Clusters

Place a tablespoon of oil in a 4-quart saucepan and set the stove to its highest heat setting. Bring the oil to a rolling boil, then carefully add 1/2 cup of popping corn kernels. Continue stirring the mixture with a spatula to prevent burning, and keep it moving until the popping slows down significantly, approximately 3-5 minutes. Remove the saucepan from the heat source and transfer the popped corn to a serving dish, where it can be kept warm until all the ingredients have been used.

In another saucepan, combine sugar, condensed milk, corn syrup, and butter over medium heat. Stir the mixture until it reaches a boiling point, then continue to cook it until it reaches 240 degrees Fahrenheit (115 degrees Celsius) on a candy thermometer. Stir in the vanilla extract to enhance the flavor.

Pour the hot caramel mixture over the popped corn and gently stir until it's evenly coated. To handle the sticky mixture, lightly grease your hands with oil or cooking spray.

Using your greased hands, shape the popcorn mixture into 15 individual balls. Allow these to cool completely before serving.