Sweet and Simple Salted Caramel Recipe
This quick and easy salted caramel sauce recipe is perfect for adding a delicious touch to your favorite desserts. Whether it’s topping off ice cream, brownies, or even a luscious apple pie, this recipe has got you covered. Created by the talented Bobby Flay, this no-fail recipe only requires five simple ingredients: granulated sugar, water, heavy cream, unsalted butter, and salt. Don’t be intimidated by homemade caramel sauce any longer. Give this liquid gold recipe a try and taste the smooth, buttery sweetness for yourself.
Why Homemade Caramel Sauce is Worth It
Sure, you can easily buy caramel sauce at the store, but trust us, homemade is so much better. There are different methods to make caramel sauce, including both dry and wet methods. The dry method involves heating sugar until it melts and then adding butter and cream. It can be a bit tricky and may result in burnt or clumpy caramel. On the other hand, the wet method, which combines water and sugar, is more straightforward and harder to mess up. That’s the method we’ll be using in this recipe.
Tips for a Perfect Homemade Caramel Sauce
To ensure your caramel sauce turns out just right, here are some helpful tips:
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Have all your ingredients measured and ready before you start. This way, you won’t risk burning the caramel while measuring.
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When adding cream to the sugar mixture, do it slowly to prevent splashing and potential burns.
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Pay close attention to the caramel’s color. There’s a sweet spot that yields the perfect flavor and thickness. Remove it from the heat too early, and it may lack flavor and thickness. Leave it on a few seconds too long, and it can burn and become bitter. Watch the video provided to see the ideal color.
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Let the hot caramel sauce cool in the saucepan before transferring it to a container.
Recipe
Ingredients:
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- ¼ cup water
- ½ cup room temperature heavy cream
- 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
- ¾ teaspoon kosher salt (or to taste)
Directions:
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In a medium heavy-bottomed pot, combine the sugar and water. Stir to combine and cook over medium heat. Be cautious as hot sugar can cause severe burns.
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Continue cooking until the sugar turns a beautiful amber brown color. This process takes approximately 10-12 minutes from the beginning of heating. Once it reaches the desired color, turn off the heat and carefully stir in the heavy cream. It will bubble up, so keep stirring until it settles. Afterward, stir in the butter until fully melted.
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Add the salt, adjusting the amount to your taste preferences. Serve the warm caramel sauce drizzled over ice cream or any other treat of your choice.
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Allow the salted caramel to cool and then transfer it to a sterilized jar. It can be kept in the fridge for up to two weeks. To use the caramel sauce, either warm it slightly and add a little water to thin if required, or simply spoon it into a hot liquid like milk.
Recipe by Bobby Flay
