When you learn how to make caramel sauce from scratch, you will never buy it again. Rich and buttery, it completes a dessert.
Drizzle on apple pie, brownies, ice cream and cake; the list is endless. More easy dessert recipes below.
How to make Caramel Sauce
Learning how to make caramel sauce is easy isn’t it?
HOMEMADE CARAMEL SAUCE FROM SCRATCH
Good for pouring over cakes, tarts or best of all – ice cream (even eating it out of the pan works for me).
1 cup white sugar
3 TBS water
1 TBS corn syrup
3/4 cup heavy cream
1 TBS homemade butter
Put the sugar, water and corn syrup in a medium heavy bottomed saucepan and stir just to combine. Heat over medium-high, without stirring, (if the mixture is coloring unevenly, swirl the pan as needed to blend), until the caramel turns deep amber; 5 to 10 minutes.
As the sugar is caramelizing, wipe down any splatters on the sides of the pan with a pastry brush dipped in cold water. To test the color of the caramel, drop a bit on a white plate. Don’t be timid about the color – if it’s too pale, it won’t have much taste.
Lower the heat, stand back, and add the cream and butter. When the spatters lessen, stir to smooth and calm down the caramel. Remove from the heat.
Pour the caramel into a heatproof jar and cool until it is slightly warm and stir pourable before using; about 1 hour.
After drizzling on desserts, sprinkle with a little sea salt for a salted caramel flavor.
Flavorful, sweet and rich caramel that can be made two weeks before serving. Just store them in a Zip-lock bag. Enjoy. Recipe adapted from Epicurious.com
HOMEMADE CARAMELS FROM SCRATCH
2 cups heavy cream
2-1/4 sugar
6 TBS unsalted butter, cut into pieces
1-1/4 cup light corn syrup
1/2 tsp coarse salt
1/2 tsp pure vanilla extract
Spray the sides and bottom of a 9×13 inch rimmed baking sheet with oil (don’t be stingy). Line with parchment paper and line a two inch overhang on the long sides. Lightly brush the parchment paper with oil.
Bring heavy cream, sugar, butter and corn syrup to a boil in a large saucepan over high heat, stirring until sugar dissolves. Reduce heat to medium-high; cook, stirring occasionally, until caramel reaches 243 degrees on a candy thermometer; approximately 15 minutes or so.
Note: If you want harder caramels cook until it reaches 248 degrees. It may take a lot longer than 15 minutes, but that is the temperature you want.
Immediately remove caramel from heat and stir in the coarse salt and vanilla extract. Pour onto the prepared baking sheet, and let stand, uncovered, at room temperature for 2 hours.
Lift by the parchment paper overhang, transfer caramel to a cutting board. Cut into 3/4″ x 1-1/4″ pieces; place in the freezer without breaking them. After they cool, they come out in little squares and it’s easier to wrap them.