That is the one caramel sauce recipe you’ll ever want! Make it thick to make use of as a filling or preserve it skinny for drizzling over ice cream or cheesecake. Just some components (and a little bit endurance) required!
Excellent Home made Caramel
If you happen to’ve been following alongside for a short while, you could be considering: “Doesn’t Sam have already got a caramel sauce recipe?” And also you’re completely proper, I do! Nonetheless, that recipe–my fast & straightforward salted caramel sauce–isn’t truly a actual caramel by customary definition. It’s nonetheless extremely tasty although, and it’s the right quick and easy caramel for drizzling over brownie sundaes (yum).
In the present day’s recipe is a real caramel. It begins with a granulated sugar base (a trademark of actual caramel — like my home made caramel sweet!) that cooks slowly till it turns into a superbly golden and thick sauce that’s simply superb. The preparation is a bit completely different from my different recipe, nevertheless it’s nonetheless pretty fast and straightforward.
5 issues to find out about this recipe:
- Customizable consistency: use much less cream for a thick sauce or extra for a thinner sauce.
- Makes an awesome salted caramel: I embody directions on how a lot salt so as to add relying in your choice and meant function.
- Requires endurance: caramelization takes time! Don’t stroll away out of your range and don’t crank up the warmth to hurry issues up. You need to be used to this recommendation for those who’ve made any of my sweet recipes 😊
- Sweet thermometer required: I understand how intimidating it may be to whip one in all these out, however I promise this caramel is simple! Many recipes simply go by visible cues and scent, however I like utilizing a thermometer to be as correct as doable and so everybody might be profitable.
Earlier than we begin, let’s shortly go over which model of this sauce you need to make in your meant use.
Thick VS. Skinny Caramel Sauce
The wonderful thing about my recipe is I embody an choice to make the caramel thicker or thinner, in accordance with your choice or recipe. A thicker caramel that could possibly be used for caramelitas has been excessive on my record of requests.
The thicker choice makes use of much less cream and has a thick and chewy, taffy-like consistency that’s nice for dipping apple slices (however not making caramel apples–extra on this beneath). I’ve used this model for filling alfajores and macarons; nevertheless, at room temperature it should unfold and spill out, so it’s finest to nonetheless use a dam. I speak about utilizing this sauce for a cake within the FAQ part beneath.
The basic recipe, as written, remains to be fairly thick regardless of being the thinner of the 2. It’s going to unfold and spill over any flat edge. I have a tendency to make use of it in desserts that have to be refrigerated (like my salted caramel cheesecake–coming quickly!) because it’s simpler to chew and chew when chilly. Use this model for drizzling over ice cream, a slice of cake, or in your morning espresso.
What You Want
My caramel sauce makes use of basic caramel components (sugar, butter, cream) plus a number of others for taste and correct consistency.
- Granulated sugar. Whereas my fast & straightforward salted caramel sauce recipe begins with brown sugar (that’s one of many issues that makes it so fast & straightforward!), we’re sticking with conventional granulated sugar at this time.
- Heavy cream: Your caramel will probably be thinner the extra cream you add. For this recipe and basic caramel sauce (finest for draping over ice cream or a slice of cheesecake), we use ½ cup (120ml) cream. Nonetheless, for a really thick, chewy caramel (however one which’s nonetheless viscous), you may scale back to ¼ cup (60ml) heavy cream. Not like my different caramel recipe, this recipe provides the cream on the finish; I clarify the reasoning behind this in additional element beneath.
- Water. Water is important to assist the sugar dissolve and warmth evenly. It additionally prevents crystallization.
- Corn syrup. That is optionally available, however I add corn syrup (not the identical factor as excessive fructose corn syrup!) to stop the sauce from turning grainy. Golden syrup may even work.
- Vanilla + salt. Each vanilla extract and salt improve the flavour of the caramel. Don’t skip both!
Additionally, you will want a sweet thermometer and, optimally, a pastry brush. We’ll be heating our caramel sauce to 340-345F (171-173C), so a sweet thermometer is a should right here (an instantaneous learn isn’t beneficial). We’ll use the pastry brush to wash up any crystallization that happens whereas the sugar is dissolving.
SAM’S TIP: In order for you a salted caramel sauce, use ½ teaspoon of salt. If you happen to simply need common caramel, use ¼ teaspoon.
Keep in mind, that is simply an outline of the components I used and why. For the complete recipe please scroll all the way down to the underside of the publish!
The best way to Make Caramel Sauce
- Stir collectively the sugar, water, corn syrup, and salt over medium low warmth till the sugar dissolves. Use a moist pastry brush to swipe away any sugar crystals that type on the perimeters of the pot throughout this course of.
- Improve the warmth to medium and let the caramel prepare dinner WITHOUT STIRRING till it reaches 340-345F (171-173C) and turns a caramel shade. This will take round quarter-hour–be affected person!
- Take away the caramel from the warmth and slowly drizzle within the cream whereas stirring. Be very cautious as you do that; there will probably be a lot of fizzing and bubbles!
- Stir within the butter one piece at a time, then add the vanilla and stir till included. Let cool earlier than utilizing and revel in!
Including the cream on the finish vs. the start: Including the cream on the finish of the cooking course of is intentional! I do that as a result of it’s necessary to first prepare dinner the sugar to the purpose of caramelization; throughout this course of, the warmth breaks down the sugar molecules and provides us the distinct caramel style and amber shade. If we added the cream at first with the sugar, the sugar simply wouldn’t caramelize as successfully. Plus it might decrease the temperature of the sugar because it cooks. So including the cream on the finish is finest.
Steadily Requested Questions
Sadly even the thicker model of this caramel isn’t supreme for topping or filling a cake, because it’s nonetheless liable to leaking out and spilling over the sting, even with a dam.
Sadly this caramel (even the thicker model) won’t follow apples like a conventional caramel apple would. If you happen to’d prefer to see a recipe for caramel apples, please let me know within the feedback beneath!
As a result of it comprises cream, caramel sauce must be refrigerated. You’ll be able to retailer this sauce in an hermetic, sealed container within the fridge for as much as 2 weeks. You could possibly additionally freeze it for a number of months.
I developed the thicker model of this caramel sauce by request to be used in my caramelitas (that is the precise quantity wanted for that the recipe!). If you happen to plan to do that too, simply know that the caramel layer gained’t be fairly as distinct and a few sinks to the underside, nevertheless it’s nonetheless a really tasty dessert, and it means you don’t have to make use of store-bought caramels!
Get pleasure from!
Let’s bake collectively! I’ll be strolling you thru all of the steps in my written recipe beneath! If you happen to do that recipe, you should definitely tag me on Instagram, and you can even discover me on YouTube and Fb
Caramel Sauce
That is the one caramel sauce recipe you may ever want! Make it thick for filling cookies or preserve it skinny for drizzling over sundaes or cheesecake. Simply 25 minutes to make!
Servings: 1 cup
Energy: 1618kcal
Stop your display from going darkish
Directions
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Notice: melted sugar may be very scorching, don’t contact the caramel till it’s cooled.
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Mix sugar, water, corn syrup, and salt in a small saucepan. Cook dinner over medium-low warmth, stirring often, till sugar is dissolved. If any sugar crystals type on the perimeters of the pan, dip a pastry brush in water and use it to comb away any sugar crystals.
1 cup (200 g) granulated sugar, ¼ cup (60 ml) water, 2 Tablespoons mild corn syrup, ¼ – ½ teaspoon salt
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Flip warmth to medium and prepare dinner with out stirring till combination turns caramel in shade (this could take about quarter-hour or so) and reaches a temperature of 340-345F (171-173C).
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Take away from warmth and really slowly drizzle in cream whereas stirring. Combination will bubble quite a bit, use warning.
½ cup (120 ml) heavy cream
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As soon as cream is included, stir in butter, one piece at a time, till combination is clean.
3 Tablespoons (42 g) unsalted butter
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Add vanilla and stir till included.
1 ½ teaspoons vanilla extract
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Permit caramel to chill earlier than utilizing (except serving heat over ice cream, then simply let it cool till heat sufficient to devour).
Notes
Corn syrup
Caramel could also be made with out corn syrup however is extra prone to end up grainy, which is why I like to recommend together with it. You could possibly additionally substitute golden syrup.
Cream/Making a Thick Caramel Sauce
For a thicker caramel sauce, you could scale back the heavy cream to ¼ cup (60ml). This makes a chewier, taffy-like caramel that can be utilized for filling caramelitas or alfajores.
Vitamin
Serving: 1cup | Energy: 1618kcal | Carbohydrates: 237g | Protein: 4g | Fats: 78g | Saturated Fats: 49g | Polyunsaturated Fats: 3g | Monounsaturated Fats: 20g | Trans Fats: 1g | Ldl cholesterol: 225mg | Sodium: 651mg | Potassium: 137mg | Sugar: 238g | Vitamin A: 2799IU | Vitamin C: 1mg | Calcium: 99mg | Iron: 0.2mg
Dietary info relies on third-party calculations and must be thought of an estimate solely. Precise dietary content material will fluctuate based mostly upon manufacturers used, measuring strategies, cooking technique, portion sizes, and extra.
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