Caramel Sauce
You won't believe how easy it is to make this decadent caramel sauce at home! It's buttery and has an amazingly deep caramel aroma--better than any store-bought caramel topping--and only requires 5 ingredients. It also keeps well in the refrigerator or freezer. Keep in mind, caramel is super hot so be carefuly not to touch or lick hot utensils or pans.Makes between 1 cup and 1 1/4 cups of caramel. Serving size is 1 Tablespoon.
Ingredients
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- 1/3 cup water
- 6 Tbsp unsalted butter, softened at room temperature, cut into cubes
- 1/2 cup heavy cream, warm
- 1 tsp pure vanilla extract
- 1 tsp sea salt, or add to taste
Instructions
- Melt the sugar - Add the sugar to the bottom of a heavy-bottomed saucepan and shake the pan to distribute it evenly. Drizzle the water over the sugar and let it sit for a minute to fully moisten the sugar. DO NOT STIR - you don't want sugar to get splashed on the sides of the pan. Set over medium-low heat and, without stirring, let the sugar dissolve completely until clear, about 5 minutes. The mixture should be clear, and the sugar fully dissolved before it simmers.
- Simmer - Without stirring, bring to a simmer and increase to medium heat. If you see crystals on the sides of the pan, cover with lid for 30-60 seconds. When the caramel starts to take on a little color, swirl the pan occasionally until it's light amber or honey-colored (about 5-8 minutes). Don't let it brown too much, or it will taste bitter. As you swirl towards the end, any stray sugar crystals should dissolve.
- Add the butter - Reduce the heat to medium-low and carefully whisk in half of the softened butter cubes, then stir in the rest. The mixture will bubble vigorously — that’s normal. Keep whisking until the butter is fully incorporated. If it separates, remove from the heat and whisk until it comes together.
- Add the cream - Slowly stream in the warm cream while whisking constantly. Again, it will bubble up and steam. Keep whisking until smooth, then remove from heat.
- Finish with vanilla + salt - Turn off the heat and whisk in vanilla and salt. Taste and adjust salt as needed.
- Cool and store - Let cool slightly before using. It will thicken up quite a bit as it cools. Store in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 2 weeks. It firms up when refrigerated. Re-warm gently to drizzle.
Notes
Storage: Cool the caramel sauce completely within 2 hours and then pour it into an airtight container. Store in the fridge for 10-14 days, or freeze for up to 3 months. Thaw in the fridge overnight, and then to serve, reheat in the microwave or on the stovetop to thin.
Tips for Success:
- Do Not Stir - Stirring the sugar and water mixture can cause sugar crystals to stick to the pan walls. If those fall back into the pan later, it can "seed" the whole pan and crystallize your caramel. Also, let the sugar fully dissolve and turn clear before simmering. Be patient.
- Even Heating - use a heavy-bottomed saucepan (avoid non-stick pans) for even heat distribution and avoid temperature swings (add room-temperature or warm ingredients as directed).
- Don't Rush It - Patience is key at every step. Don't rush this with higher heat, or it can crystallize.
- Use a Lid - If you see sugar crystals at the edges of the pot at the simmering step, cover with a lid for 30-60 seconds; the steam will help wash the pan's walls.
- Swirl occasionally - as soon as you start to see some color developing, gentle swirling helps to distribute color evenly and helps clear any remaining sugar flakes from the surface and walls.
- Use warm cream so it doesn’t splatter, separate, or burst, which can happen if you add cold liquid to a blazing-hot caramel sauce.
- European butter has a higher fat content and less water, which can make the sauce better and easier to make. I love Kerrygold butter.
Nutrition Facts
Caramel Sauce
Amount per Serving
Calories
112
% Daily Value*
Fat
7
g
11
%
Saturated Fat
4
g
25
%
Trans Fat
0.2
g
Polyunsaturated Fat
0.3
g
Monounsaturated Fat
2
g
Cholesterol
20
mg
7
%
Sodium
148
mg
6
%
Potassium
9
mg
0
%
Carbohydrates
13
g
4
%
Sugar
13
g
14
%
Protein
0.3
g
1
%
Vitamin A
241
IU
5
%
Vitamin C
0.04
mg
0
%
Calcium
7
mg
1
%
Iron
0.02
mg
0
%
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.
