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Dessert | |
| 1 cup granulated sugar 1/4 cup water 6 tablespoons unsalted butter , cut into pieces 1/2 cup heavy cream 1 teaspoon vanilla pinch of salt | |
| Add the sugar and water to a 3-quart heavy bottomed saucepan; stir a little so it sits in a flat, even layer. Warm pot over medium heat and cook until the sugar dissolves, turns clear, and starts to bubble. (It will be cloudy at first, but will turn into a clear, bubbling liquid.) This takes about 3-4 minutes. (At this point, do not stir again - simply allow to bubble, swirl the saucepan occasionally and brush down the sides of the pan, as needed, to prevent crystallization.) Sugar will form clumps, but continue swirling and cooking until the mixture thickens and turns a deep amber color like honey (this can take anywhere from 8-12 minutes), keeping a watchful eye so the mixture doesn’t burn. Carefully add the butter and whisk until completely melted. (The caramel will bubble up rapidly, so be careful and continue to whisk.) Remove the saucepan from the heat and slowly pour in the cream, whisking continuously until all of the cream has been incorporated. Whisk in the vanilla and salt. Set aside to cool in the pan for 10 minutes. Then pour into a lidded glass jar and allow to cool completely. (It will thicken as it cools.) | |
| The utensils you use do matter. It is important to use either a wooden spoon or a heat-resistant silicone spoon to make the sauce. Resist the urge to stir! As the sugar and water are heated, if you stir them, you’ll cause grains to form and it will not be smooth and creamy. Instead, you can gently swirl the pan over the heat if needed, but be sure not to let the caramel go high up the sides of the pot or this will make the caramel sauce crystallize and become grainy, as well. What if my sauce does crystallize? Luckily, you don’t need to start over. Whew. Add a scant 1/4 cup of water and bring the sugar back to a gentle bubble. (Heating it up with the water should dissolve the crystals. Then proceed with the recipe until you get color on the sugar. Use unsalted butter. Even if you want salted caramel sauce, I recommend using unsalted butter. This gives you better control over the saltiness of the finished product. For salted caramel sauce, I like to add 1/2 teaspoon of salt, but I recommend starting with 1/8 teaspoon and adjust to taste. Stay put and be patient. Do not step about from the stove while the caramel is cooking. This sauce is super easy, but it can take anywhere from 8-12 minutes to thicken and turn that gorgeous amber color. Since you don’t know where your sauce will land in that window, you need to be paying close attention. | |
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