Classic Caramel Sauce
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Is there anything more swoon-worthy than a waffle cone dripping with ice cream or a loaded ice cream sundae?
I can totally relate to one of my favorite actresses, Ginger Rogers, when she said: “My love for ice cream emerged at an early age – and has never left!”
Author Thornton Wilder put it this way: “My advice to you is not to inquire why or whither, but just enjoy your ice cream while it’s on your plate — that’s my philosophy.”
Musician Del Shannon summed it up like this: “I eat ice cream. It’s better than booze.”
I love all flavors of ice cream. You name it, I love it. Well…unless it’s something totally weird like foie gras ice cream or lobster ice cream. (Yes, those really exist.) But any downright ghastly flavors aside, I love them all.
And as if you need an excuse to eat it, here are a few more ways to put this luscious caramel sauce to use: Cinnamon rolls, brownies, apple pie, cheesecake, scones, bread pudding, pancakes and fresh apples slices!
Enjoy!
© Liliya Kandrashevich | Dreamstime
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Classic Caramel Sauce
Ingredients
- 1 cup cane sugar
- 1/4 cup cold water
- ½ cup heavy cream warmed briefly in the microwave
- 4 tablespoons unsalted butter
- 1 teaspoon quality pure vanilla extract
- Small pinch of salt see Note
Instructions
- In a medium saucepan over medium-high heat, combine the sugar and water, stirring to combine.
- Simmer until the syrup has turned a dark golden color, about 10-12 minutes. A candy thermometer isn't necessary, but it's helpful. For a thick but pourable sauce your candy thermometer should read about 230 degree F. For a little thinner sauce aim for 225 degrees F.
- Once the caramel is ready, whisk in the warm cream and simmer for another couple of minutes. Remove from heat and whisk in the butter, vanilla extract and salt. Serve warm or keep stored in the refrigerator. To reheat it, simply heat it up briefly in the microwave.
Notes
* This caramel sauce can be made in advance and stored in the fridge, covered tightly, for up to 2 weeks.
Hi, I’m Kimberly Killebrew and welcome to Daring Gourmet where you'll find delicious originals, revitalized classics, and simply downright good eats from around the world! Originally from Germany, later raised in England, world-traveled, and now living in the U.S., from my globally-influenced kitchen I invite you to tour the world through your taste buds!
my caramel get’s grainy after cooling – what do i do.
I attempted this twice; no success. It turned back to sugar before beginning to change color. The first time was on induction cooktop so I switched to my gas stove. Same issue; added more water and simmered for 20 minutes until temp reached 230F; no real color change. I ended up throwing it in the trash. I’ll look for a better recipe.
I have been remiss in not thanking you yet for this recipe. I’ve made it up several times and it is divine! I’ll be making it up again this weekend to go on an apple crisp. Always turns out well.
Thank you, grayslady, I really appreciate the feedback! You know, I’ve never served apple crisp with caramel sauce and the more I think about it the more I realize how remiss I’ve been in not doing so!
What’s a valid non-milk substitute for the Cream? My wife is Lactose intolerant, but loves caramel.
Hi Mark, you’ll need to let the sauce simmer longer to thicken up and it may not get quite as thick as with cream, but full-fat coconut milk is probably your best bet.