Preheat oven to 425°F. In pie plate, pour condensed milk and cover tightly with foil. Set pie plate in roasting pan with hot water filled halfway up sides of plate. Bake until milk is thick and caramel-colored, about 1 hour. Remove from heat and whisk briskly; cool slightly. In large buttered bowl, place popcorn. Stir in almonds, pepitas and salt, to taste. Pour in small portion of dulce de leche and gently stir to coat, then repeat process until popcorn just sticks together and is coated evenly. With buttered hands, carefully form mixture into clusters about 3 inches across and set on wax paper–lined sheet pan. Cool until set, at least 1 hour; refrigerate to set if necessary. To serve, wrap individually in cellophane paper and tie with ribbon. Store at cool temperature until ready to serve. Makes about 18 to 20 clusters.

Tip: Don’t worry if your clusters don’t form into uniform balls. They should look unique!