Caramel Sauce That is The G.O.A.T.
Professional kitchen’s pastry stations should be at least four sauces: Crème Anglaise, Raspberry, Chocolate and Caramel.
We’ll get to the first three, but this is all about caramel sauce.
Caramel sauce starts easily enough with caramel.
Whoa Nellie!, you say. Easy…caramel. T’ain’t no such thing.
It’s Easier Than It Looks
The simplest a caramel can be is heat white, granulated sugar in a pan over heat until the sugar starts to melt and deepen in color and aroma.
Bingo! Caramel.
It Ain’t Sauce Yet
Making that caramel into a sauce does require a few more ingredients and a few processes, all easy. They do require some attention to make sure nothing gets burned, you or the sugar.
Caramelized sugar, frankly speaking, is hot. And, it sticks so the burn burns longer because it just will not be quickly wiped off. So, attention to the task is important.
Caramelized sugar grows darker the longer it cooks. There is a range of acceptable flavors and aromas after which there is no turning back.
The challenge, then, is for each cook to find that place where the caramel tastes best and stop cooking.
I prefer a darker caramel before I add the cream. The cream is going to keep the caramel soft instead of rock hard and offer a richness from the fat. The cream is also going to lighten the color of the caramel and as such, difuse the flavor. For this reason I prefer to cook the caramel a bit more, almost to a red color.
The Right Tool For The Job
I talk much about using tools for accuracy. It’s a good idea. I must admit, in this particular instance, I do not use a thermometer. I do use a stainless steel pan against which I can judge the color to be just so.
So far so good. The sugar is cooking. But, there is cream. And butter. They are to be heated together so the butter melts. This is also basic physics. Cream which is hot enough to melt butter is cold compared to caramelize sugar. When you add the cream/butter mix to hot sugar, really only 1 thing is going to happen: it’s going to boil like crazy, rise high and do so FAST and that’s where mess and burn can happen.
So to avoid both of those problem, a high sided pan is required as well as a whisk and hot pads.
Ladle some of the cream into the sugar mix and whisk whisk whisk whisk whisk. Do it again and again until the boiling stops and the cream is mixed in.
Now you’ve made caramel sauce.
It is not as anxiety inducing as it reads, but caution and prudence are wise.
Do not dip your finger in or put a spoonful in your mouth just yet. Even though it is not boiling does not mean it is cool enough to taste. Ouch!
We keep the sauce in a squeeze bottle kept pourable in some warm tap water.
Squeeze Bottle 24 oz Clear – 6 per pack – SBC-24 – $5.78
from: ABestKitchen
Caramel Sauce
Yummy caramel sauce for bread pudding or ice cream or Christmas pudding or, well, by the spoonful. Hey, it's your house.
Ingredients
Caramel sauce
- 1 pound Granulated sugar
- 8 oz Water
- 1.5 t Fresh lemon juice
- 1 T Corn syrup or glucose
- 3 C Heavy Cream
- 4 oz Whole unsalted butter
Instructions
Make the caramel sauce
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In a medium sized sauce pan heat the cream and butter together to just melt the butter. Turn off the heat.
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In a deep sided stainless steel pan, add the sugar, water, lemon and corn syrup. Gently mix to combine the sugar and water and eliminated dry areas of sugar.
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Place the sugar pan on the stove on medium high heat and cook until the sugar is dissolved and turns a dark reddish color. While the sugar mixture is heating, move a whisk along the bottom and edges of the pan to ensure all the sugar is mixed in.
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When the sugar mixture has reached the proper color, turn off the heat. Ladle 2 to 4 ounces of the cream mixture into the sugar pot.
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Be prepared to whisk immediately and rapidly to incorporate the cream into the sugar. When the cream is mixed in, repeat the addition and the whisking. Continue until the cream is added and the caramel sauce is fully mixed.
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Allow to cool in the pan until cool enough to touch. Place into a resealable glass container, cover, and refrigerate.
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Heat on short bursts in the microwave or place the jar in a pan of warm water on the stove top set to low.
Recipe Notes
This recipe can easily be increased. Our normal was 4 pounds of sugar which makes quite a bit of sauce.
Served warm, of course, is best on desserts, but it can be used cold for apple slices or just eating from the jar. Or, so I've been told.
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