Perfect homemade salted caramel sauce. This simple recipe avoids caramel-making issues with the ‘dry’ caramel method and a few tricks. Sea salt and pure vanilla flavor the 4 oz of silky, buttery caramel sauce.
– 200 g or 1 cup fine granulated sugar– 1 tsp freshly squeezed lemon juice– 80-120 g or ⅓ - ½ cup heavy cream use the lesser amount for a thick sauce, the greater amount for a thinner sauce– 85 g or 6 tablespoons salted or unsalted butter– ¾-1 tsp fine sea salt– 1 vanilla bean split or 1 tablespoons vanilla paste or extract
INGREDIENTS
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INSTRUCTION
Heat heavy cream and reserve. Add sugar to a heavy pot on low. Apply lemon juice to sugar and stir with wooden spoon until wet sand-like.
STEP 1 .
Evenly distribute sugar. Cover and raise heat to medium-low.
Wait 2-3 minutes for the sugar to melt, then stir and smooth it. Allow 2 more minutes with the lid on.
STEP 2.
Your pot and burner heat speed may take several minutes to melt and darken sugar. After some sugar turns amber, remove the lid and stir to melt and caramelize evenly.
STEP 3.
Sugar that hardens into rock melts. Press those bits on with the wooden spoon's back. After melting and ambering, the sugar will smoke and swirl darker amber.
STEP 4.
After smoking for 15–30 seconds (depending on flavor depth), slowly pour in and stir heavy cream. Note that caramel bubbles, hence the deep pot.
STEP 5.
Mix in all the heavy cream, then butter, vanilla bean, scrapings, and salt. Sometimes melt butter by stirring. Remove caramel from heat and add vanilla paste or extract.
STEP 6.
Carefully remove and discard the vanilla bean after the caramel cools to room temperature. Pack caramel in heat-safe jars. Three weeks refrigerated. You can drizzle it after microwave heating.