Why buy caramel sauce in a jar when you can make your own so easily at home? I mean, homemade caramel sauce… ooooh my!
1 1/2 c. sugar
1/3 c. water
1 1/4 c. heavy cream (an extra 1/4 c. to serve at room temp)
1/2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
Directions
1. Mix the water and sugar in a large heavy-bottomed saucepan.
2. Cover and cook over low heat until the sugar dissolves.
3. Uncover. Increase the heat to boil until the sugar turns a medium brown, about 5 to 7 minutes, stirring with a wooden spoon.
4. Watch it carefully at the end, as it will go from caramel to burnt very quickly.
5. Carefully and gradually, add the cream and vanilla extract.
6. Simmer until the caramel dissolves and the sauce is smooth and thick, about 2 minutes.
7. Serve warm, or add another 1/4 cup of heavy cream and serve room temperature.
Ideas:
- Serve over ice cream.
- Serve over cake AND ice cream.
- For a coffee-caramel flavor, add 1 TBSP instant espresso or coffee powder to the water.
- Drizzle over homemade whipped cream topped specialty coffees (like a frappuccino or a caramel cooler – homemade, of course!).
{ 4 comments… read them below or add one }
why serve it over anything? the pot and a spoon…sounds perfect to me! i’m going to go and make this carmel…right now! love your blog! i’m blogmarking and coming back often!
Melissa – I sooooo agree.. a spoon and warm caramel… a perfect combination!
I wonder what the consistency is like at room temperature? I am assuming that the addition of more cream will make it thinner so it will flow better. I want to make our own organic caramel sauce for our coffee shop and want to make it thin enough to dissolve easy in drinks but still gooey enough to drizzle over whip cream for a garnish.
Can this caramel sauce be put in a sealed canning type jar and given as a gift? Or is it more of an make and eat propositiion?