Positive, you should buy an honest jar of caramel on the retailer. However why? As a result of with this recipe, you possibly can a.) make it for a fraction of the fee with components you’ve available, and b.) relaxation assured your do-it-yourself model will style higher. Proper? No contest.
What I like about this recipe is you’re within the driver’s seat in terms of depth of taste. After I’m making this for our grandnephew, Keith, I prepare dinner it as written. He loves all issues candy. However once I’m making it for The One and I, I prepare dinner the sugar syrup previous the purpose of darkish amber for a barely burnt caramel–a much less candy, extra complicated taste.
Why Our Testers Liked This
Our testers have been smitten with how fast and simple it was to whip up this easy do-it-yourself caramel sauce and liked its many makes use of. Michelle P. was delighted that it “required little thought, could be made rapidly for a cocktail party, and at all times impresses.”
Notes on Elements
- Granulated sugar–Plain previous white sugar separates caramel sauce from butterscotch, giving it its traditional style.
- Vanilla–As at all times, use the true stuff. Vanilla has a beautiful approach of rounding out the flavour of sweets.
- Unsalted butter–If you happen to solely have salted butter available, use it, however don’t add the pinch of salt to the caramel when mixing within the butter.
Step-by-Step Directions
- Warmth the water and sugar in a saucepan, stirring gently, till the sugar dissolves.
- Let the sugar syrup boil with out stirring.
- Prepare dinner the sugar syrup till it turns a darkish amber coloration, then swirl the pan as soon as and let it prepare dinner till darkish. A wee little bit of burnt caramel is nice, however push it too far, and it’ll style bitter.
- Take away the pan from the warmth and slowly whisk within the heavy cream.
- Whisk the caramel till clean.
- Stir within the butter, vanilla, and salt. Cool earlier than utilizing.
Variation: Salted Caramel
To make salted caramel sauce, observe the recipe beneath, however stir in 3/4 teaspoon of salt as a substitute of only a pinch. When the caramel is cool, take a style. Add extra salt if wanted.
Frequent Questions
The distinction between caramel and butterscotch is the kind of sugar used to make the sauce. Caramel is made with granulated white sugar, whereas butterscotch is made with brown sugar. Consequently, butterscotch has a richer taste than caramel.
There are a lot of methods to make use of do-it-yourself caramel sauce, together with dipping apple and pear slices, drizzling over waffles, French toast, ice cream, or our caramel apple pie.
Caramel could be difficult to make and might crystallize with out warning throughout cooking or because it cools. To keep away from crystallization, don’t stir the sugar syrup whereas it’s boiling.
In case your caramel seizes whereas cooking, otherwise you see crystals starting to kind, add somewhat additional water. The crystals ought to dissolve. If you happen to ceaselessly have points with crystallization, take into account including somewhat corn syrup or honey to your caramel combination whereas it cooks to assist forestall crystals from forming.
In case your caramel turns gritty because it cools, rewarm it gently on the stovetop to dissolve the sugar crystals.
You may often decide when the caramel is prepared just by sight and odor. Nonetheless, if you wish to be ultra-precise and like to make use of a sweet thermometer, your caramel sauce is able to pull off the warmth when the sugar syrup reaches 340° to 350°F (170° to 177°C). Don’t let it go previous 350°F because the sugar will burn and turn into bitter.
The primary motive the cream must be heat is cream from the fridge will drop the temperature of the caramel too rapidly, which might trigger it to grab. Additionally, including chilly cream to scorching sugar may cause the combination to bubble up violently, probably inflicting burns or making a multitude.
Professional Suggestions
- Retailer the caramel in a sealed jar within the fridge for as much as 2 weeks or freeze for as much as 2 months.
- I don’t suggest doubling or tripling the recipe. Make particular person batches as wanted.
- Refrigerated caramel may be very thick. To loosen the sauce, let it sit at room temperature for an hour, or microwave it in 15-second increments, giving it an excellent stir every time, till warmed via.
Extra Excellent Caramel Recipes
Write a Evaluation
If you happen to make this recipe, or any dish on LC, take into account leaving a overview, a star ranking, and your greatest picture within the feedback beneath. I like listening to from you.–David
When this recipe was posted, I knew I needed to discover one thing great to adorn this with, and that is what I got here up with: zucchini bread pan-toasted in butter, a scoop of pumpkin ice cream, this fabulous sauce, and contemporary whipped cream. My friends have been speechless and legless.
Greg Martin
In a high-sided medium saucepan, warmth the sugar and water over medium warmth to dissolve the sugar. Now, resist the urge to stir! It may trigger the sugar to crystallize.
Proceed cooking the combination till it turns a deep amber coloration and registers 340° to 350°F on a sweet thermometer, about 10 minutes. This may occur all of the sudden, so hold an eagle eye on the range.
Instantly take away the saucepan from the warmth and slowly whisk within the warmed heavy cream. The caramel will bubble and hiss, so watch out. Proceed whisking till clean and luscious.
Stir within the butter, vanilla extract, and a pinch of salt till mixed.
Cool the sauce for a couple of minutes earlier than pouring it right into a glass jar. It can proceed to thicken because it cools.
- Selfmade salted caramel variation–Add 3/4 to 1 teaspoon of salt to the caramel sauce to fit your style.
- Storage and freezing–Retailer the caramel in a sealed jar within the fridge for as much as 2 weeks or freeze for as much as 2 months.
- Scaling–I don’t suggest doubling or tripling the recipe. Make particular person batches, as wanted.
- Reheating–Refrigerated caramel may be very thick. To loosen the sauce, let it sit at room temperature for an hour, or microwave it in 10-second increments, stirring between each, till warmed via.
Serving: 2 tablespoonsEnergy: 116 kcalCarbohydrates: 17 gProtein: 0.3 gFats: 6 gSaturated Fats: 3 gMonounsaturated Fats: 1 gTrans Fats: 0.1 gLdl cholesterol: 16 mgSodium: 7 mgSugar: 17 g
Vitamin info is mechanically calculated, so ought to solely be used as an approximation.
Recipe © 2021 David Leite. Photographs © 2023 David Leite. All rights reserved.
Recipe Testers’ Opinions
I’m all about recipes that require little thought, could be made rapidly for a cocktail party, and at all times impress. And it doesn’t get any simpler than this straightforward caramel sauce recipe. It’s practically prompt gratification: one pot, no prep, minimal watching, and barely any prepare dinner time!
This do-it-yourself caramel sauce is a really good recipe to have available. It does whip up in a short time, and the outcomes style such as you’ve been standing on the range for over 5 minutes.
This do-it-yourself caramel sauce recipe is basically foolproof. It was as fast and simple because the recipe made it sound. At quarter-hour of cooling, mine was nonetheless somewhat skinny.
I used it over apples for dessert about half-hour into cooling. This might be scrumptious on pie or over ice cream. I did discover myself wishing there was somewhat extra complexity to the flavour, however that wasn’t what this recipe presupposed to be.
