Caramel Sauce

How to caramelize the sugar

1. Caramel sauce is very easy to make: just four ingredients and a pinch of salt to balance the caramel flavor. The base is melted sugar that has started to caramelize and is then mixed with cream. The amount of cream determines the final thickness. The caramel thickens as it cools, so keep that in mind. Do everything carefully and on time, otherwise the sugar will burn and leave an unpleasant aftertaste.

2. Get the ingredients and pan ready. The sugar must be white, refined granulated sugar. If you use cheap, poorly refined beet or cane sugar, the impurities burn quickly during caramelization, and the taste will not be bad exactly, but you will get a sauce with a completely different flavor.

   

   To make caramel you need a heavy-bottomed saucepan or saute pan, preferably a large one so that the layer of caramel in it is thin, which helps it cook better.

3. Pour the sugar into the saucepan and add 1 tbsp water.

   

   Set the pan over low heat and stir the sugar with a spatula. As it heats, the sugar first dissolves a little, then begins to melt and caramelize. This happens very fast, in just 3-4 minutes: bubbles appear and the mixture starts to darken.

   

4. As soon as the caramelized sugar begins to turn light brown, reduce the heat to the minimum. It is important to wipe sugar splashes off the sides of the pan: they crystallize almost instantly, turn dark and spoil the taste of the sauce. Take a damp cloth or a brush and carefully wipe the splashes away. Wait until the caramel reaches the color you want, which should be amber, then take the pan off the heat.

   

How to mix in the cream

1. Add the butter and cream to the caramel. The butter should melt and blend into the caramel. It can bubble quite a lot, so stir the sauce with a spatula. Then, stirring constantly, add the thick heavy cream. The mixture thickens as it cools, so aim for the consistency of store-bought kefir.

   

2. Add a small pinch of salt and keep stirring until the caramel is completely smooth and glossy. Salt balances the caramel flavor and makes the sweetness more pronounced.

3. Flavor the caramel while it is hot, if you like: add vanilla, an aromatic liqueur or brandy, just a little, as the flavor will be strong.

4. Let the mixture cool to room temperature and pour it into a jar. The ideal sauce is dark amber with a distinct sweet caramel taste. When cool, its thickness is close to good honey: it runs slowly off a spoon. Of course, you can make it very thin (by adding more cream) or even firm, like candy.

   

Serving

1. Use the sauce for pancakes, desserts and cakes, or pour it over ice cream, fruit and berries. Caramel cheesecake turns out especially delicious. In an airtight container in the fridge, the sauce keeps for several weeks.