Homemade Salted Caramel Sauce
There is a fine line between a rich, mahogany-colored sauce and an acrid, burnt mess. Making caramel is about watching the color and trusting your nose rather than a timer.
Mind the temperature
Sugar gets much hotter than boiling water, so use a long-handled whisk and a pan that gives you plenty of room for the mixture to foam up when you add the cream.
- Heavy-bottomed stainless steel saucepan
- Silicone spatula
- Whisk
What goes in.
- 1 cupgranulated white sugar
- 6 tbspunsalted butter, cut into cubes
- 1/2 cupheavy cream, warmed
- 1 tspflaky sea salt
Controlling the sugar
Avoid stirring the sugar while it melts. Gently swirl the pan occasionally to ensure the sugar heats evenly without crystalizing on the sides.
The method.
Melt the sugar
Place the sugar in the pan over medium heat. Let it sit until it begins to melt at the edges, then use a spatula to gently pull the melted sugar toward the center.
Achieve the color
Continue to swirl the pan as the sugar turns from sandy lumps to a clear, amber liquid. Pull it from the heat once it reaches the color of a dark copper penny.
Emulsify
Add the butter while whisking constantly. Once melted, slowly pour in the warm heavy cream—the mixture will bubble aggressively, so step back until it settles.
Finish and cool
Return to low heat and whisk for one minute to ensure a uniform consistency. Remove from heat and stir in the sea salt. Let it cool for 15 minutes before transferring to a jar.
Other turns to take.
Spiced Caramel
Add a pinch of ground cinnamon or a scrap of fresh vanilla bean to the cream before whisking it into the sugar.
When it doesn't go to plan.
Warm your cream in the microwave for 30 seconds before adding it to the caramel; cold cream will cause the sugar to seize into hard clumps.
If you see sugar crystals forming on the sides of the pan, brush them down with a wet pastry brush.
The sauce will thicken significantly as it reaches room temperature.
The ones that keep coming up.
Why is my caramel grainy?
Graininess happens if the sugar crystalizes during the melting process. Ensure your pan is clean and avoid over-stirring while the sugar is liquifying.
How do I fix seized caramel?
If the sugar clumps up when you add the cream, keep the heat on low and whisk continuously. The heat will eventually dissolve the lumps.