Description
Sweet caramel cascades with a delightful salty twist, making this Salted Caramel Sauce a luxurious drizzle for desserts. Creamy, rich, and irresistibly indulgent, you’ll want to pour this golden elixir over everything from ice cream to pastries.
Ingredients
Scale
Main Ingredients:
- 1 1/2 cups (300g) granulated sugar
- 1/2 cup (113g) unsalted butter, softened at room temperature
- 3/4 cup (180g) heavy cream, warmed
Flavor Enhancers:
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- 1 to 1 1/2 teaspoons salt
Instructions
- Select a wide, light-colored saucepan to ensure even heat distribution and clear visibility of sugar transformation during caramelization.
- Pour granulated sugar into the pan and place over low heat, allowing it to gradually melt without stirring immediately.
- As sugar begins to liquefy, gently manipulate with a heat-resistant spatula, encouraging uniform melting and preventing crystallization.
- Continue cooking until the melted sugar develops a rich, amber-toned caramel color, which typically requires approximately 12-18 minutes of careful attention.
- Remove pan from heat source and introduce softened butter, whisking vigorously to create a homogeneous mixture that might initially appear separated.
- Warm heavy cream in the microwave for roughly 25 seconds to prevent temperature shock when added to the caramel.
- Gradually stream the heated cream into the caramel, whisking continuously to manage the intense bubbling and potential splattering.
- If the sauce becomes overly thick or appears grainy, return pan to low heat and stir until achieving a smooth, glossy consistency.
- Incorporate vanilla extract and salt, adjusting seasoning gradually to balance the sauce’s sweet and savory profile.
- Transfer the caramel to a heat-resistant glass container, allowing it to cool and naturally thicken at room temperature for approximately one hour.
- Once cooled, seal the container and refrigerate, reheating in short microwave intervals before serving to restore ideal pouring consistency.
Notes
- Select a wide-bottomed, light-colored pan to monitor caramel color change precisely and prevent burning.
- Maintain extremely low heat during sugar melting to ensure gradual, even transformation without scorching.
- Warm cream beforehand prevents sudden temperature shock that could cause sauce separation or crystallization.
- Start with minimal salt, taste progressively, and adjust to create perfect balanced sweet-salty flavor profile.
- Use room temperature butter for smoother incorporation and consistent sauce texture.
- Whisk gently during butter and cream addition to prevent sauce from breaking or becoming grainy.
- Allow sauce to cool naturally for optimal thickening without refrigeration interference.
- Consider dairy-free alternatives like coconut cream for vegan-friendly version.
- Reheat sauce slowly in short microwave intervals to maintain silky consistency.
- Keep stored caramel sauce refrigerated up to two weeks for maximum freshness.
- Prep Time: 5 minutes
- Cook Time: 15 minutes
- Category: Desserts, Snacks
- Method: Frying
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 12
- Calories: 138
- Sugar: 24g
- Sodium: 120mg
- Fat: 8g
- Saturated Fat: 5g
- Unsaturated Fat: 3g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 23g
- Fiber: 0g
- Protein: 0g
- Cholesterol: 20mg