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Scooping a spoonful of easy caramel sauce

Easy Caramel Sauce (For Beginners!)


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5 from 2 reviews

  • Author: Emily Dixon, Sweets & Thank You
  • Total Time: 12 minutes
  • Yield: 1 cup caramel sauce 1x
  • Diet: Gluten Free

Description

Our easy caramel sauce recipe is great for beginners and pros alike. You’ll love it on ice cream, cake, brownies and more! 


Ingredients

Scale
  • 3/4 cup sugar
  • 2 Tablespoons corn syrup
  • 2 Tablespoons water
  • 1/2 cup heavy cream (reduce to 1/3 cup for thicker caramel sauce)
  • 3 Tablespoons butter
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • 1/23/4 teaspoon kosher salt

Instructions

  1. Get Everything Ready First. Things will move quickly once you get started, so measure & set aside all your ingredients close by so you can easily reach and add things as needed.
  2. Combine Sugar, Corn Syrup & Water. In a medium saucepan, combine sugar, corn syrup, and water. Whisk to combine well and wipe down the sides so there aren’t a bunch of sugar crystals on the sides. (This helps prevent crystallization.) You can also use a pastry brush dipped in water to brush down the sides.
  3. Boil Till Deep Amber. Turn the heat to medium heat to medium-high heat and WITHOUT STIRRING, let the sugar mixture come to a boil. Boil the caramel for 8-10 minutes, or until the bubbles slow down somewhat, and the color is deep amber (about the color of a penny). The caramel sauce will only be as dark as the caramelized sugar, so don’t pull it off the heat early! The exact time will vary based on your environment and stove heat, so watch for color cues.
  4. Carefully Whisk In The Cream. Remove from the heat, and carefully whisk in the cream. The cream will stop the cooking process but will immediately bubbles and steam. Whisk quickly and watch out for splatters! Whisk until it’s smooth.
  5. Stir In Butter, Vanilla & Salt. Add in the butter, vanilla, and salt and whisk until smooth and uniform.
  6. Cool & Store. Pour the caramel sauce into a heat-proof container or jar and store in the refrigerator up to 2 weeks. 

Caramel sauce will thicken and turn more opaque as it cools. To loosen it up to a pourable consistency, remove from the refrigerator 30 minutes before using and let it come to room temperature, or microwave in 10-20 second increments until smooth and glossy again. 

  • Prep Time: 2 minutes
  • Cook Time: 10 minutes
  • Category: Dessert
  • Method: Stovetop
  • Cuisine: American
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