Making Classic Caramel Sauce
This sauce is thin when warm but thickens into a pourable state as it cools. Keep your focus entirely on the pan; sugar waits for no one once it begins to color.
Use a pan larger than you think you need.
When you pour cream into molten sugar, the mixture will bubble up violently. A deep-sided stainless steel saucepan provides the necessary space to keep the hot liquid contained.
- Heavy-bottomed stainless steel saucepan
- Heat-resistant silicone spatula
- Whisk
What goes in.
- 1 cupgranulated sugar
- 6 tbspunsalted butter, cubed
- 1/2 cupheavy cream, room temperature
- 1/2 tspfine sea salt
Stopping the sugar
The moment the sugar reaches a deep, mahogany amber color, remove it from the heat before adding the cream. Adding the liquid instantly halts the browning, locking in the flavor profile.
The method.
Melt the sugar
Pour the sugar into the saucepan over medium heat. Let it sit until the edges begin to liquefy, then gently stir with the spatula to bring the un-melted parts into the center.
Deepen the color
Continue cooking, swirling the pan occasionally. The sugar will turn from clear to pale yellow, then to a dark, toasted copper. Stop when it smells like toasted nuts.
Emulsify
Immediately pull the pan off the heat and stir in the cubed butter. Be careful as it bubbles. Once the butter is melted, slowly pour in the heavy cream while whisking constantly.
Finalize
Return the pan to low heat for one minute to dissolve any sugar clumps. Whisk in the salt and pour into a glass jar to cool.
Other turns to take.
Vanilla Bean
Add one split vanilla bean to the sugar while melting, or stir in a teaspoon of pure vanilla extract at the end.
Bourbon Caramel
Substitute two tablespoons of the heavy cream for an equal measure of bourbon, added right at the end.
When it doesn't go to plan.
Do not walk away from the stove; sugar can burn in the time it takes to grab a glass.
If hard chunks form when you add the cream, keep whisking over low heat; they will eventually melt back into the sauce.
If you are worried about burning the sugar, add 1/4 cup of water to the sugar before turning on the heat to create a syrup that cooks more evenly.
The ones that keep coming up.
Why did my sugar crystallize?
This usually happens if sugar crystals were left on the sides of the pan. Keep the sides wiped clean with a wet pastry brush during the melting phase.
How do I store it?
Keep it in a sealed glass container in the refrigerator for up to two weeks. It will solidify, so warm it gently in the microwave or a water bath before serving.