Take a deepish saucepan that will hold all the popping corn in a single layer and put the coconut oil in it.

Put on the hob over a medium heat to melt the coconut oil.

When the oil has melted, put THREE of the corn kernels in the saucepan and put the lid on.

When all three kernels have popped, take the pan OFF the heat.

Remove (and eat!) the popped corn, then put in the rest of the kernels in a single layer.

Put the lid on and wait 30 seconds before putting the pan back on the heat: this gets all the corn to the same temperature so they'll pop more evenly.

Within a few minutes you should hear vigorous popping: place the lid so there's a slight gap to let the steam out (this makes the popcorn crispier) but without allowing any corn to escape as it pops.

Shake the pan occasionally to prevent burning.

When the popping has slowed to the occasional pop with quite a few seconds between each one, take the pan off the heat.

Transfer the popcorn to a bowl and toss with the sugar and salt if using.

Best served immediately, but once cooled can be stored for up to 3 days - it will still taste good but will be chewier rather than crispy.