Salted Caramel Sauce

Tuesday, February 14, 2012

Caramel sauce might be one of Hubby’s favorite things ever. He will always choose a caramel treat over a a chocolatey treat. I’ve just recently gotten more comfortable making my own caramel sauce. It actually is so much easier than I thought it was. Having a candy thermometer is a must for making caramel at home. But that’s really all you need. If you haven’t made your own caramel sauce, do it. Trust me, it’s worth the minimal effort required.

I ended up making a triple batch of this salted caramel during the holidays. I ordered some cute jars online and gave them away as gifts to some family members. Hubby also enjoyed a bunch of this caramel sauce heated up over vanilla ice cream.

One Year Ago: Crunchy Nut Encrusted Chicken Tenders
Two Years Ago: BBQ Chicken Pizza Sticks

Salted Caramel Sauce

Salted caramel sauce is easier to make than you could ever imagine. And it makes a great gift!

Yield: 2 cups

Ingredients:

1 cup water
2 cups sugar
1 cup heavy cream
2 Tbsp cold unsalted butter
1 tsp fleur de sel

Directions:

Add water to a 2-qt saucepan. Gently add the sugar to the center of the pot - it will mound, that's fine. Cover the pot and bring to a boil over high heat.

Once boiling, uncover the pot and insert a candy thermometer. Continue cooking until the mixture registers 300 F and is just starting to develop some color, about 15 minutes.

Reduce heat under the pot to medium and cook until the syrup is amber and registers 350 F on the thermometer, about another 5 minutes.

Meanwhile, pour the cream into a small saucepan and bring to a simmer. If it simmers before the syrup is ready, just take it off the heat and set aside.

Remove the caramel from the heat and add about 1/4 of the warm cream to the pot. It will bubble furiously so be careful. Once the bubbling subsides, add the remaining cream. When it stops bubbling, whisk gently to incorporate fully. Add the butter and the salt and whisk to combine.

Refrigerate up to 1 month.

Recipe from Cook's Illustrated, as seen on Erin's Food Files

Better than Store Bought, Condiments, Dessert, Gift Ideas, Other

4 comments »

25 Responses to “Chocolate Fudge Cake”

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1

Eva @ Eva Bakes — June 17, 2013 at 8:10 am
Happy birthday! Today is my husband’s birthday, and he also requested a chocolate cake. I baked him Ina Garten’s Beatty’s chocolate cake. Your chocolate cake may be the one I bake for my birthday later this year. 🙂
- beantownbaker — June 17th, 2013 @ 8:48 am
  
  That’s a really good chocolate cake recipe too! Tell your husband happy birthday!
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2

Bianca @ Confessions of a Chocoholic — June 17, 2013 at 9:06 am

Happy birthday! A no frills chocolate fudge cake sounds perfect 🙂
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3

Rachel @ Baked by Rachel — June 17, 2013 at 9:16 am
This looks amazing!! And happy birthday!!!
- beantownbaker — June 17th, 2013 @ 9:34 am
  
  Thanks 🙂
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4

tracy {pale yellow} — June 17, 2013 at 3:07 pm

Happy Birthday! Noting like a perfectly simple chocolate cake to ring in a new year! This one looks scrumptious!
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5

Jocelyn (Grandbaby Cakes) — June 17, 2013 at 7:15 pm

That is seriously one gorgeous cake!!! I think I’m in love!
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6

carolg — June 17, 2013 at 9:13 pm
happy birthday and thanks so much for the chocolate cake- can’t have too many chocolate cake recipes
- beantownbaker — June 18th, 2013 @ 4:02 pm
  
  I couldn’t agree more!
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7

Jessamyn — June 17, 2013 at 10:08 pm

We’re birthday buddies! Hope you had a great day!
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8

Jennifer @ Peanut Butter and Peppers — June 18, 2013 at 7:05 am

Happy Birthday! Your cake looks amazing!!
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carolg — June 18, 2013 at 8:44 am
and if i want to make this 9 x 13?any caveats? i never know if i can just change pan size and oven time/temp?
- beantownbaker — June 18th, 2013 @ 4:05 pm
  
  Two 9″ round pans is the same amount of cake batter as a 9×13 pan. I’d probably use the same temp and start checking around the same time. But I would expect it to take longer to bake in the end.
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carolg — June 18, 2013 at 9:11 pm

tnx- 9 x 13 is easier to tote
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11

Nutmeg Nanny — June 18, 2013 at 10:33 pm

Oh goodness, this looks indulgent! I need to make this for my husband as soon as I can!
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Karen - Cinnamon Freud — June 18, 2013 at 11:48 pm
Happy birthday! This cake is to die for- looks so chocolatey and fudgey. Hope you had a great day!
- beantownbaker — June 19th, 2013 @ 7:13 am
  
  Thanks! I had a great birthday this year.
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13

krimpetgirl — June 23, 2013 at 1:35 pm
Tomorrow is my birthday and I am making your birthday cake for my big day!

Thanks!
- beantownbaker — June 23rd, 2013 @ 7:56 pm
  
  Happy birthday tomorrow!! Hope you enjoy the cake as much as I did.
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Shashi @ http://runninsrilankan.com — July 5, 2013 at 6:16 am
Wow – this cake looks so good! I am always looking for chocolatecake recipes to try – so glad to have stumbled on your blog!
- beantownbaker — July 5th, 2013 @ 9:55 am
  
  Glad you found me!
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15

Amber Berry — August 3, 2013 at 5:36 pm
I just made this for my mom and brothers Birthday tomorrow 🙂 I will come back and let you know how mine turned out 🙂 thanks for the recipe and happy late Birthday!
- beantownbaker — August 4th, 2013 @ 6:42 pm
  
  Definitely let me know how it goes!
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16

Amber Berry — August 4, 2013 at 10:51 pm
The cake turned out amazing and was a huge hit! Most of the kids weren’t a huge fan but i don’t think they have learned to appreciate dark chocolate 🙂
- beantownbaker — August 5th, 2013 @ 7:14 am
  
  Glad it was a success (for the adults!)

Salted Caramel Sauce