Delicious, easy-to-make homemade caramel sauce. Use it to make caramel buttercream or drizzle it over your favorite pancakes, cakes, and waffles. Or eat it with a spoon straight from a jar. The recipe yields 2 cupsServing Size 2 tablespoons (30 ml)
Prep Time5 minutesmins
Cook Time15 minutesmins
Cooling1 hourhr
Course: Candy, Dessert, Snack
Cuisine: American, French
Keyword: caramel, caramel sauce, homemade caramel
Servings: 32
Author: Hani
Ingredients
1/2cupwater (120 grams, 120ml)
1 3/4cupsugar (350 grams)
1cupheavy cream (240 ml)
3tbspbutter (45 grams)
1tspVanilla Bean Paste
Instructions
Sugar Syrup
In a nonreactive 3 quart pan combine the sugar (1cup and 3/4cup), water (1/2cup).
Stir with a wooden spoon. Cover the pot, heat sugar, and water on low heat until sugar is completely dissolved. 3-5 minutes.
Remove the lid, swirl the pan to see if all the sugar is dissolved. Once the sugar is dissolved, increase the heat to medium and bring the sugar syrup to a simmer. DO NOT STIR. The mixture will appear cloudy at first. It will clear up as it starts to boil.
To remove any sugar spots on the sides of the pan, either brush the sides with a pastry brush dipped in water or cover the pot again for 2-3 minutes. Steam/condensation will wash down the sides of the pan clean. If there are any stubborn areas, use a pastry brush. It is important to keep the sides of the pan clean. This helps to prevent sugar crystallization and grainy caramel sauce.
Caramel Sauce
Keep an eye on the caramel. Once you see sugar syrup is changing color, it is important to monitor it closely as it can burn in seconds. Continue to cook until the caramel turns amber color, then remove from the heat and pour in about 1/2 of the heavy cream (1/2 cup, 60 grams, 60 ml). The mixture will foam up significantly, stir it and then pour in the remaining heavy cream (1/2 cup, 60 grams, 60 ml). Stir in the room temperature butter (3 tablespoons, 45grams). The mixture will be thin. Pour it into a heatproof dish and let cool slightly, about 20-30 minutes, Then stir in Vanilla Bean Paste (1 teaspoon). Flavor with other flavoring as desired. Use sea salt, coffee, maple, and pecan flavoring sparingly.
Cover the bowl/container with cooled caramel sauce, plastic wrap, and a lid. Refrigerate until ready to use.
DON'T BE TEMPTED TO TASTE CARAMEL SAUCE BEFORE IT COOLS. THE MIXTURE IS EXTREMELY HOT.
Notes
WHERE SHOULD I STORE THE CARAMEL? In the fridge it contains dairy. It's best to keep it refrigerated.
HOW LONG DOES CARAMEL SAUCE KEEP? From my experience, it keeps for at least a month if stored in the refrigerator. Be sure to let it cool completely before refrigerating.
SAUCE IS VERY THICK, CAN I REHEAT IT? Yes, heat it in the microwave in 5-second intervals or gently on the stove.
HOW TO PREVENT MY CARAMEL SAUCE FROM BECOMING GRAINY?
Dissolve all the sugar on low heat.
Don’t stir the sugar syrup once it starts to simmer.
Make sure the sides of the pan are clean, with no sugar spots clinging to them. Use a pastry brush dipped in water to wash down the sides of the pan.
Or use the steam/condensation method. I employ the stem method twice during the caramel sauce cooking process.
OTHER WAYS TO BATTLE SUGAR CRYSTALLIZATION
Corn Syrup - add 3 tablespoons into the pan with sugar and water, then heat the mixture to dissolve sugar.
Invert Sugar Syrup- an excellent substitute for corn syrup. If using - use 3 tablespoons in this recipe. Add it to the pan with sugar and water, then continue with the recipe as written.
Acid - the cream of tartar can also help fight crystallization. You can only use small amounts. As too much of it can affect the caramel taste. Use only a pinch. You need to add it to the pot at the very beginning.