If I could only have one dessert sauce this—without a doubt—would be it. Caramel sauce is the most complex tasting sauce I know and it goes with every flavor in the pastry kitchen: apples, nuts, berries, stone fruit, chocolate, coffee, and pineapple. It is a staple in my kitchen. I use it to dress up store-bought ice cream, serve it alongside cake, and layer it into parfaits. Frankly, no commercial caramel sauce compares to one that's homemade. There are a few good specialty ones out there, but they are expensive. Making it at home is inexpensive—sugar, water, and cream. That's it. It keeps for weeks in the fridge and can be reheated in the microwave or double boiler.
I know a lot of cooks who are afraid to make caramel. It can be tricky business for sure. Lest I scare you off, let me reassure you that if you follow these instructions carefully, you'll soon be making it all the time.
If your first try is a light tan and the sauce is thin even after it's cooled, next time cook the caramel a little bit further. On the other hand, if the caramel has a bitter aftertaste, next time cook it a little less.
A pastry chef trick to easily clean a pot you have just made caramel in is to fill it half full of water and bring it to a boil. The hot water will dissolve any hard caramel pieces that stick to the side. Another trick, on the off chance you do burn your caramel and you want to get rid of it, is to add a couple cups of water, carefully at first, just as when you add the cream, to dilute it. Let it cool some and then it can be poured down the sink.
- If, at the point where you are going to add the cream, the caramel seems too dark, add water instead of cream so you can pour it down the drain and start over.
Recipe information
Yield
Makes 1 3/4 cups
Ingredients
What you'll need
Preparation
Step 1
1. In the medium saucepan, whisk the sugar with the water so there are no sugar clumps. Cook over medium heat until the sugar is dissolved and the water looks clear, 2 to 3 minutes. Turn the heat up to medium-high and brush down the side of the saucepan with the pastry brush dipped in water. (This prevents any sugar from sticking to the side of the pan and forming crystals.) Have the cream in a measuring cup with a spout right near your stovetop where you can reach it.
Step 2
2. With the heat still at medium-high, continue to cook. Do not stir the caramel anymore at this point. After about 15 minutes, you'll notice the bubbles getting bigger and slower just before the caramel begins to turn color.
Step 3
3. As soon as the caramel turns a medium tan color, remove the pan from the heat. The bubbles will subside a little, so it will be easier for you to check the color.* Watch carefully and as soon as it turns a dark tan, slowly pour in a couple of tablespoons of the cream. Stand back a little and be careful - the cream will cause the hot caramel to bubble up. Stir the cream into the caramel with the heat-proof spatula. Once the caramel stops sputtering, stir in more cream. Continue to pour in the remaining cream but stop again at any time if it sputters.
Step 4
4. Let the caramel sauce cool to room temperature. Refrigerate in a covered container for up to 3 weeks. If there is any hard caramel sticking to the pan, fill it with water and bring it to a boil. Allow to cool before cleaning the pan.
