Perfect Caramel Sauce
- PREP 10min
- COOK 20min
- TOTAL 30min
Making your own caramel sauce is surprisingly easy and tastes much better than store-bought! For the best results, use a medium saucepan with a heavy bottom, as this will ensure even heating and prevent scorching. While you can rely on intuition and the color of the caramel to gauge its readiness, a candy thermometer removes the guesswork and provides more consistent results. I love turning this into salted caramel sauce and adding the sea salt at the end.
You Will Need
1 ¼ cups (295ml) heavy cream
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 ½ cups (300g) granulated sugar
1/3 cup (78ml) water
1/4 teaspoon sea salt, plus more for salted caramel sauce, see tips
Directions
In a measuring jug, combine the cream and vanilla extract. Set this mixture aside.
Combine the sugar and water in a medium, heavy-bottomed saucepan. Cook over low heat until the sugar dissolves completely and the mixture is clear. Do not stir.
Cover the saucepan with a lid for 1 minute. This creates steam, which helps prevent sugar crystals from forming on the sides of the pan.
Remove the lid and clip a clean candy thermometer to the side of the saucepan.
Increase the heat to medium and cook, without stirring, until the sugar mixture reaches 350°F (177°C) and turns a rich golden color (see photo in article for reference). This usually takes 5 to 8 minutes. You can gently tilt the pan to distribute heat, but avoid stirring.
Once the caramel reaches 350°F (177°C), immediately remove the saucepan from the heat. Slowly and carefully pour in the vanilla cream mixture. Be cautious, as the caramel will bubble and splatter. If the caramel hardens, don’t worry, it will melt back into a smooth sauce as you continue.
Return the saucepan to low heat and cook for 2 to 3 minutes, stirring constantly, until the hardened caramel dissolves and the sauce is smooth and silky. Stir in the salt.
Allow the caramel sauce to cool completely to room temperature. It will thicken as it cools. Once cooled, taste the caramel and add more salt if desired. Be sure to let it cool enough to taste safely, as it may be very hot.
Adam and Joanne's Tips
- Storing: Transfer the cooled caramel sauce to an airtight container like a glass jar. Store it in the refrigerator for 2 to 3 weeks. The caramel sauce will thicken in the fridge, but you can gently reheat it in the microwave or on the stovetop to make it pourable again.
- Salted caramel sauce: I love adding a bit more salt to this recipe to turn it into a salted caramel sauce. Use high-quality sea salt and add to taste (once the sauce cools down). Start with 1/4 teaspoon, but expect you’ll add closer to 1/2 teaspoon, possibly more if you have large sea salt flakes.
- Vegan caramel sauce: Substitute the cream for full-fat canned coconut milk (use the thickest, white part of the can).
- This recipe is inspired by Ina Garten.
- The nutrition facts provided below are estimates.