You cannot buy caramel sauce that tastes like homemade…it can’t be done! First of all, look at the labels of the bottles of caramel sauce, they will not include cream, they will not include butter and some of them will not include real sugar. This is why I want to encourage you to be brave and try to make homemade caramel sauce, it will take you 15 to 20 minutes and will be the single most satisfying and prideful moment you’ve had in the kitchen.

This recipe is for caramel sauce not caramels that harden like a candy, it will stay somewhat fluid even in the fridge and makes an incredible addition to ice cream and on top of cakes, cupcakes and cheesecakes. I used this particular sauce to make turtle cupcakes for my son’s 15th birthday.  They got the “best cupcake I ever had” award from my kids and their friends.

Homemade Caramel Sauce

1 1/2 Cups Granulated sugar

1/3 Cup Water

2 Tbsp. Light Corn Syrup

1 Cup Whipping Cream, 35%

1/2 Tsp Sea Salt or Kosher Salt

2 Tbsp Butter

 

Add sugar and corn syrup to a medium sized sauce pan, add water being careful not to splash. Turn heat to medium and begin to cook syrup. Using a clean pastry brush and some clean water, wipe the inside sides of the pan to remove any sugar crystals which could cause the the caramel to crystallize, the addition of the corn syrup will stop that from happening for the most part though. The sugar will start to dissolve into the water and then as the water evaporates, the syrup will thicken and bubble but will still be clear. It’s important not to stir caramel, in fact just take it easy and let it do it’s thing. Once the syrup starts to get some colour on the outer edges, you can swirl the pan to disperse the colour evenly.

 

You are looking for a nice dark amber colour. This is where most people get discouraged, either they get nervous and pull the plug too soon and the caramel is not as rich and delicious as they want or they go too far and they end up with burnt syrup. It’s a fine line, I’m not going to lie but when you get this, you will feel like a superstar. First of all, you can smell the colour when it’s right, it smells like dark rich caramel, don’t pull the plug until you can smell it… but once you smell it, it’s time to go. Have your cream open and ready to pour in. Once you reach the right colour, turn the heat off the stove, move the caramel over to another burner and slowly pour the cream into the mixture. It will bubble violently, enjoy the show…it’s cool.

Let it settle and start to stir, I like to use a small whisk. There will be a lump of cooked syrup on the whisk, don’t panic, it will seize slightly, especially if your cream is cold but then it will melt as you continue to stir, keep it on low heat to expedite this process. Add salt and butter and stir until incorporated. I like to strain the final caramel to remove any unmelted sugar blob. Keep it in a clean bowl on the counter until it cools to room temp and then cover it and place it in the fridge for future use. It will stay in the fridge for atleast 2 weeks.

 

You did it,Yay! Enjoy!