One: Increase The Cooking Time
The key to the perfect caramel consistency is cooking it over the stove long enough to evaporate the water added in the recipe. This is enough for the sugar to turn brown.
If your caramel sauce is runny and lighter in color, chances are that you havent cooked it long enough.
Also, if youve already been cooking it long enough, but it still hasnt thickened, you might have added more water or less sugar and cream than the recipe calls for.
If thats the case, heat it up on the stove again and let it simmer for 10 more minutes.
Make sure youre stirring it continuously and simmering it on low heat because you wouldnt want the sauce to burn.
For even quicker results, try using a bigger pan, so the surface area that is heated is larger, so the process yields the results quickly.
Why Is My Caramel Sauce Grainy
I have never had a problem with grainy caramel using this Caramel Sauce recipe. I believe using brown sugar is the key.
Grainy Caramel Sauce is caused by undissolved sugar crystals. This can happen when either 1) the sugar in the caramel sauce has not fully dissolved or 2) some of the crystallized sugar that forms on the sides of the saucepan as the caramel boils have been incorporated into the caramel.
More Ingredients To Add To Caramel Sauce
You can flavor caramel with liqueurs, fruit juices, and extracts. For example, you can make an apple cider caramel sauce for your next apple pie by adding about a third of a cup of apple cider to the warm caramel. Let it cool and pour the sauce over the apples in your pie . Toss gently and transfer the apple mixture to the crust-lined pie plate.
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Variations Of The Caramel Sauce Recipe
In this recipe, I chose my favorite flavor which happens to be vanilla. You can use any extract or flavoring you like in your homemade caramel sauce. I also happen to like my caramel to be more on the light side, but I know many who prefer a darker caramel taste, so you may wish to cook the recipe until the sauce reaches a dark amber color. Replace water with some orange juice and boil some orange rind with the sugar for an orange caramel sauce. Yes as you can tell, I have tried and loved many variations on this sauce.
Dos And Donts Of Making Caramel
A few key things for success when making homemade caramel:
I hope all that didnt scare you away from making your own caramel sauce at home. Its really very easy, it just requires a bit of focus and attention for 15mins or so. And carefully following directions.
This caramel sauce is seriously SO good and so versatile. You could use it as a topping for other desserts or ice cream or pancakes the list goes on!
Youll never look to get store-bought caramel again after you try this!
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Why You’ll Love This Recipe
- Made in under 15 minutes. And that includes the prep time of getting out your ingredients and utensils! It really can be made in a flash!
- Uses a handful of ingredients. Five ingredients is all you need to make this remarkable sauce.
- Use it on everything! Brownies, cakes, ice-cream, cookies, pastries…you name it, you can use caramel sauce withit.
- Makes a great gift. Pour into a jar, add a cute label and you have the perfect gift for birthdays, the holiday season, to give to your host. A jar will be very well received!
Ingredients To Make Caramel
These are the ingredients I use to make my caramel. There are other caramel sauce recipes out there that use slightly different ingredients, but this one is my favorite.
- granulated sugar
- butter
- flavorings
Its critical that your cream and butter are at room temperature or even warmed a bit. Caramel does not react well to drastic changes in temperature and can seize or separate.
Leave your butter out overnight if you can, and if your cream is cold then warm it slightly in the microwave.
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How To Make Homemade Caramel
Were breaking down exactly how to make homemade caramel. Rich and delicious, this easy caramel sauce is perfect for all sorts of recipes! Use it as a filling in a salted caramel cake, drizzle it over ice cream, or just eat the best caramel sauce by the spoonful! We took out any guess work out of this caramel recipe with step by step photos so youll know exactly how to make caramel with nothing left to second guess!
Why Do You Salt Caramel
A small amount of salt is added to caramel for balance. The sugar is extremely sweet, and the butter or heavy cream add an incredible level of richness. A little pinch of salt goes a long way to making taste caramel more balanced. Its not enough to add a salty flavor, but that can be achieved by topping your caramel sauce with large flakes of salt for a sweet-and-salty vibe.
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How To Thicken Caramel Sauce 4 Simple Methods
Before you get onto thickening your caramel sauce, make sure you know what consistency it should be. You can look for images in your recipe book/ check online or even take a look at a YouTube video like the one below to get a rough idea.
This way, while thickening, you know what youre going for and you shouldnt overshoot it!
Also, since this sauce is cooked up on a stove, it will get thicker once it cools down, so there is no need to fret if youve just cooked up a warm batch and it doesnt seem the right consistency at first.
Once your sauce has cooled down completely and youre sure you need to thicken it, you can do that by simmering it again over the stove to reduce the liquid. You can also add some caster sugar cream or alternatively add thickening agents like cornstarch slurry, flour, or tapioca.
Now lets go onto how you can use each of these methods to fix your caramel sauce to the right consistency.
What Is The Texture Of This Salted Caramel
The caramel is liquid as it comes off heat. As the caramel cools, it solidifies into a chewy texture. After refrigerating, the caramel is hard and you must heat it up to bring it back to a liquid consistency. Do you need a thinner caramel? Feel free to add 2 more Tablespoons of heavy cream to the recipe.
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How Long Does Homemade Caramel Sauce Last
Caramel sauce will keep for up to 2 weeks in an airtight container stored in the refrigerator. It can be warmed for a few seconds before use.
It can also be frozen. Place in a freezer-safe container once it has cooled and freeze for up to 3 months. Thaw in the refrigerator overnight and warm before serving.
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Cook Time: Total Time:
This homemade caramel sauce recipe is super easy to make. It is a versatile sauce that can be used for dipping, drizzling over ice cream, or served on top of other decadent desserts.
- cup water
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- 3 tablespoons unsalted butter, cut into pieces
- ¾ cup heavy cream, room temperature
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- teaspoon salt, optional
How To Store Salted Caramel
I receive this question a lot and Im so happy to answer it. After the caramel cools down, pour it into a glass jar or container. Refrigerate for up to 1 month. The caramel solidifies as it cools, but you can reheat in the microwave or on the stove so its liquid again. You can freeze the salted caramel, too. Freeze in an airtight container for up to 3 months. Thaw in the refrigerator or at room temperature, then warm up before using.
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Other Ways To Use Caramel
Add caramel to everything! Slip some caramel in your pancakes, your cupcakes, your buttercream frosting or your chocolate pudding. Brush some caramel on your bacon for a brilliant upgrade. Add caramel to your apple pie recipe, put some caramel in your cream cheese, or just use it as a dip for apples and grapes.
How Do I Reheat Caramel Sauce
Microwave Caramel Sauce for 30-60 seconds, stirring at 30 second intervals, repeat as needed. You may need to stir in additional evaporated milk as the caramel will thicken up on refrigeration.
You can also reheat caramel sauce on the stovetop but I find this is more of a hassle to transfer the caramel to the saucepan than it is worth.
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How To Make Homemadecaramel Sauce
This Thick Caramel Sauce recipe is made using a wet caramel. What does it mean? Water and sugar are combined together in a non-reactive pan. Then with a gentle heat sugar is completely dissolved. After mixture is brought to boil. As sugar mixture continues to cook sugar caramelizes. Mixture takes on a beautiful amber, golden brown color and characteristic caramel flavor. Thats how wet caramel is made. Then we are going to add cream and butter.
Can Caramel Cause Gas
Sugar alcohols occur naturally, and are usually used in combination with other sweeteners in sugar free candies and gums. They are notorious for causing bloating, painful gas, and having a laxative effect. I found this out the hard way once in university, when I ate an entire bag of sugar free caramels.
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What Do You Use Caramel Sauce On
This sauce can be used with so many desserts! It of course is AMAZING on ice cream, but you can also use it to drizzle over pies, cakes, cheesecake and even cookies! I also love to dip apple slices in it! Be sure to check out these recipes that are asking to be topped with this awesome caramel sauce:
How To Store Caramel Sauce
After the caramel cools down, youll pour it into a lidded glass jar or container.
Store in the refrigerator, tightly sealed, up to 3 weeks, or freezer for up to 2 months. Thaw in the refrigerator or at room temperature, before using.
Caramel solidifies in the refrigerator so it needs to be reheated, either on the stove or in the microwave, until desired consistency is reached. Note: reheating the caramel will make it thinner and runnier.
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Homemade Salted Caramel Sauce
This Homemade Salted Caramel Sauce is easy to make and perfect for topping on ice cream or almost any dessert!
As soon as September comes around, I start to crave pumpkin, apple, and salted caramel desserts. Even if theres just a small hint of fall in the air I cant help but get excited to start working on fall recipes to share with you.
Todays recipe is one of my favorites and one that I make all of the time Homemade Salted Caramel Sauce. If youve never tried making your own salted caramel sauce, its so easy and beats anything that you can buy at the store.
You only need six simple ingredients for this recipe, including some water and a little bit of salt! I usually have everything on hand to make a batch and it only takes about 15 minutes to whip up.
How To Turn Caramel Into Caramel Sauce
Once you make caramel, it will harden as it cools, and you’ll have to heat it up again to use it. However, if you want to turn it into a more spoonable sauce, you add other ingredients like butter or cream to the melted caramel.
Caution: As soon as you add butter and cream to your pot, it will spit and foam and rise up the sides of the pan, so be sure to use a pot with very high sides. Turn off the heat and keep stirring until the butter melts and the ingredients are all incorporated.
Now you can drizzle your homemade caramel sauce over ice cream, cheesecake, or bread pudding.
Allow the caramel sauce to cool, and transfer to an airtight container. Store in the refrigerator for up to a week. The sauce can be reheated on the stove over medium-low heat or in a microwave.
Homemade caramel sauce makes splendid food gifts for the holidays.
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Quick & Easy Caramel Sauce
But…how to make Caramel Sauce?! Well, you won’t believe how easy it is using this recipe.
There’s no candy thermometer, no persnickety directions, and no extended stirring.
There are just five simple ingredients that transform into gooey, sticky, buttery Caramel Sauce in about five quick minutes. And it’s amazing!
How To Make Homemade Caramel Sauce
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How to make caramel sauce with just 4 ingredients. This quick, easy, homemade caramel sauce requires no thermometer and is perfect for adding to breakfasts, desserts, and drinks!
With the holidays just around the corner, its just about time to start thinking about getting those make-ahead recipes ready. Ive already stocked my fridge/freezer with other spreads and sauces like this DIY Homemade Vegan Nutella, homemade jams, and my chocolate syrup now its the turn of this homemade caramel sauce!
If youve ever spent time watching any baking/cooking competition, youve probably seen people burning their caramelizing sugar more than once, which makes it seem like it is a long and complicated process. In reality, this homemade caramel sauce is fairly quick, simple, and versatile!
While its true that burning the caramel can happen , its usually when you decide to take your eye off the pan during the pivotal moment . All you need is a little patience and to pay attention, and you should never have to deal with burnt caramel again.
In fact, with a bit of practice, youll come to recognize the exact shade of sugar that yields your favorite caramel flavor. Until then, feel free to experiment a bit if its not browned enough, it simply wont have the flavor you need, too much and itll burn and become bitter. But, there are lots of shades in-between you need to catch them in time!
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Lets Make This Easy Caramel Sauce
Once you give it a try, you will never go back to store bought. Its so yummy and easy to make.
However you decide to enjoy it, I promise it will be amazing. It is so delicious.
Everyone will think you spent all this time in the kitchen when really it took minutes. Just minutes. Can you believe you can enjoy something so fabulous with so little time?
It is just the best.
Salted Caramel Apple Pie
Warning: This post is lengthy. Lots of photos and lots of text!
There are three parts to this pie. Its just like my deep dish apple pie, but towers high with salted caramel inside and on top. First, we have the buttery flaky pie crust, then the cinnamon-spiced apples, and finally the salted caramel. Lets discuss the crust first.
Pie crust can be tricky, but it doesnt have to be. Its made with a few simple ingredients. Flour, salt, cold water, and fat. You can make pie crust with shortening or with butter. Why shortening? Shortening aids in creating flakiness. Flaky, tender, melt-in-your mouth crust. Butter imparts unparalleled, impeccable flavor. Nothing beats butter.
However, my pie crust uses both. The best of both worlds. Flaky, tender, buttery pie crust made from shortening AND butter. Its nothing new tons of folks do it this way. And its the way I like it.
Make the apple filling as the dough is chilling. Fresh lemon juice, apples, flour, spices, and sugar. We suggest using a variety of apples. I used Pink Ladies and Granny Smiths . You get more complex flavor in each bite using a combo.
Next, add the pie filling to the dough. You may think there is way too much filling, it wont fit! But it will.
Make the salted caramel. Pour 1/2 cup of salted caramel over the apples:
Before baking, brush the top with an egg wash, then sprinkle with coarse sugar.
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