Salted Caramel Sauce

Have you spent most of your life believing caramel was difficult or complicated to make? If you answered yes or anxiously clicked on this recipe expecting the worst, I have news for you.

Caramel is easy. Dead simple. Want to know just how simple? Then keep reading.

For years, I shied away from making caramel, thinking it was this dreadfully complicated and horrible thing. I would opt for either boiling condensed milk (still 10/10 method for a thick caramel) or spending $12+ at farmers markets for the smallest bottle of salted caramel to sparingly drizzle over ice cream.

After years of spending a small fortune on store brought caramel, I decided enough was enough and I’d learn how to make it myself, no matter how difficult. What happened next shocked me. After trolling recipe books and the internet for caramel recipes, I realised all you really needed to make caramel was 15 minutes and 4 main ingredients.

While there were recipes out there that required sugar thermometers and made my eyes glaze over, all in all, caramel is very easy to make and the only thing it really needs is your undivided attention for 15 or so minutes.

After first stumbling into the world of homemade caramel, I have spent the last year trailing and perfecting my very own recipe. While the flavour is obviously key, I spent months trying to obtain the perfect consisting while also staying true to my main objective with caramel: making it as simple as possible for someone to make at home.

Enjoy.

Salted Caramel Sauce
Makes Approx. 500mlsTime: 15 minutes

1/4 Cup water
1 Cup caster sugar
225ml Cream
30gms Butter
Flakey sea salt to taste

Optional flavouring 2 Teaspoons vanilla extra

2 heaped teaspoons strong, good quality instant coffee

Place a medium-sized pot on the stove. Add the 1/4 cup of water and 1 Cup of sugar. Turn the heat onto low/medium.

Leave to cook for 12 – 15 minutes or until the sugar melts, turning a dark amber colour. If one half of the sugar is starting to brown more quickly, pick the pot up and give the mixture a little twirl – otherwise do not touch.

While the sugar is cooking, measure out the cream, butter and salt so they are ready as soon as the sugar comes off the heat. If flavouring the caramel with coffee or vanilla (optional), add to the cream now. Ready a chopping board as well to place the pot as well as a large whisk. While this could be done with a smaller whisk, a lot of steam will come out of the pot when combining the cream and sugar, so a larger whisk (ideally) will prevent your hands from burning.

Once the sugar has turned a dark amber colour, remove from the heat, placing on the chopping board or whatever surface you’ve prepared. With the whisk at the ready, steadily pour the cream into the sugar and whisk until fully combined. Once smooth, add the butter and salt and whisk again until everything has come together.
Tip: if the sugar and cream split, just add the pot back onto a low heat and whisk continuously until the mixture becomes glossy and smooth.

Pour into a clean jar or bowl and place in the fridge to cool down and set. While this can be eaten almost instantly, it will form a thicker consistency if left to cool for 3 – 4 hours or overnight.