Easy Recipe for Apple Cider Caramel Sauce
When apple cider is in season, I make apple cider caramel sauce. Imagine the rich, buttery sweetness of caramel infused with the crisp, spiced tang of apple cider. It’s like autumn in a jar.
updated from 2013
WHY I LOVE THIS RECIPE
- Fall spices and tanginess
- I love the slight tanginess and warmth of fall spices that come through in this caramel sauce.
- Seasonal
- Can you get your hands on fresh apple cider from a local orchard? Go for it. It makes such a huge difference. The fall is the time for apple cider caramel sauce to really shine.
- You can freeze it!
- Freeze the taste of fall in a jar for up to 3-4 months.
THINGS YOU NEED
- Saucepan
- Kitchen Scale (my favorite)
- Pastry Brush
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APPLE CIDER CARAMEL SAUCE INGREDIENTS
- Apple Cider – use good-quality apple cider
- Sugar
- Heavy Cream
- Vanilla Bean Paste, Vanilla Extract
- Salt
MAKE THE APPLE CIDER CARAMEL SAUCE
- The process is simple. Reduce good-quality apple cider.
- Combine it with sugar. Heat it over low heat until all the sugar has dissolved. Don’t stir the caramel after this point. Agitation can cause the caramel to crystallize.
- Turn up the heat to medium-high and bring the mixture to a boil.
- Wash down the sides of the pan to remove sugar crystals, or alternatively, cover the pan with a lid and let the steam/condensation wash down the sides of the pan.
- Once the caramel reaches an amber color ( 355-360°F /179-182°C), add warm cream. Caramel might seize a little. If your cream is too cold, it will seize up into a hard mass. Don’t panic. Let it heat up while stirring until it dissolves.
- If you have a candy thermometer, you can check the temperature. For a thick caramel sauce, reach 225°F. You can go slightly higher for a chewier texture. Add butter and stir it well. Let the mixture simmer for a minute, then remove it from the heat and add the salt and Vanilla Extract.
- Allow to cool and store in the fridge for up to a month.
APPLE CIDER CARAMEL SUCCESS TIPS
1. Sounds like stubborn sugar crystals are not ready to let go. Gently reheat the sauce with a touch of cream and butter until smooth. Or use a microwave in short bursts.
2. Try adding two tablespoons of corn syrup or inverted sugar syrup, or 1/4 teaspoon cream of tartar/lemon juice to the apple cider reduction-sugar mixture at the beginning.
3. Acidic ingredient acts as a crystallization inhibitor. Apple cider is naturally acidic, but perhaps the one you use is not acidic enough.
1. Sounds like there is too much liquid, and the sauce wasn’t cooked long enough for the excess to evaporate. After you add cream, continue cooking it on low heat for a little longer.
2. Cream fat content can vary from brand to brand. Whipping cream is 30%-35% fat, but double cream is about 40%-45%, which makes a difference. More fat in cream equals less liquid and vice versa.
3. To amend a very runny caramel sauce, simmer it for 5-10 more minutes, stirring constantly. Keep in mind, caramel sauce will thicken as it cools.
4. Use tapioca or corn starch to thicken a runny sauce. Dissolve 1 tablespoon of starch in water and stir it into 1 cup of cool caramel sauce. Heat the sauce and simmer, stirring until it thickens.
Milk doesn’t have as much fat as cream. Sauce will look fine when it’s first made, but once refrigerated, it will separate.
It’s still good to eat; reheat it to use, but it might not work for certain applications.
1. This can happen when you overcook the sauce.
2. You can slowly heat it up in the microwave to make it softer, and then put it back on the stove with some heavy cream, and you can make it saucey again.
4. Try not to cook it for too much longer after adding butter, as this can make the sauce thicker/harder.
TRY THESE RECIPES
- Caramel Wafer Bars
- Caramel Sugar Sail Cake Decoration
- Caramelized Onion Pizza
- Pumpkin Pie via Tastes Better From Scratch
- Easy Sponge Cake Recipe
Apple Cider Caramel Sauce
Ingredients
- 2 cups apple cider 480 ml
- 3/4 cup granulated sugar 150 grams
- 1/2 cup heavy cream, warm 120 ml
- 2 tbsp unsalted butter 30 grams
- 1/4 tsp salt
- 2 tsp Vanilla Extract
Instructions
Apple Cider Reduction
- To make apple cider reduction, simmer 2 cups of apple cider for about 10-20 minutes until you have 1/2 cup (120 ml) left.
Apple Cider Caramel Sauce
- In a saucepan, combine apple cider reduction (1/2 cup, 120 ml), granulated sugar (3/4 cup, 150 grams).
- On medium low heat, stir until sugar is dissolved.
- Increase the heat to medium-high.
- Bring to a boil, DO NOT STIR. Occasionally, swirl the pan around to prevent the mixture from scorching. If you see sugar crystals forming on the sides of the pan, either use a brush dipped in water to remove those bits or cover the pan with a lid for a couple of minutes, and let the built-up steam wash down the sides and dissolve those sugar crystals.
- Mixture is HOT, don’t be tempted to taste it at this point.
- Cook until it reaches an amber color, pour in warm heavy cream (1/2 cup, 120 ml). The mixture will seize a little. This is normal. Stir it and the siezed caramel will slowly dissolve into the cream.
- Add butter and stir until butter is melted and fully incorporated into the caramel mixture. Simmer for an additional minute or two. Remove from the heat and add salt (1/4 teaspoon) and Vanilla Extract (2 teaspoons).Let it cool to room temperature. Mixture is thin right after you cook it, it thinks as it cools.
- Store in the airtight container in the fridge.
This recipe was published on October 2, 2013. On September 22, I updated this recipe with new written text that includes tips and tricks on how to achieve the best possible results, along with a recipe card.
