Tuesday, February 14, 2012
4 comments »

Salted Caramel Sauce

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

Print Save

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 »
    Pin It

Related Posts

38 Responses to “What’s your secret?”

  1. #
    1
    BMK — January 28, 2008 at 1:15 pm

    Those are adorable! I love the idea of lemon meringue cupcakes.

  2. #
    2
    ~Amber~ — January 28, 2008 at 1:51 pm

    They are adorable!! Great job and I am glad you had success with the recipe.

  3. #
    3
    Shawnda — January 28, 2008 at 2:27 pm

    Congrats on a successful challenge!

  4. #
    4
    slush — January 28, 2008 at 3:03 pm

    OMG, are they cute! Like little porcupines. So glad it turned out for you. Fab job!

  5. #
    5
    Aparna — January 28, 2008 at 3:24 pm

    I really liked your idea of making the cupcakes. No cutting up and great single sized servings. They look just great.
    Makes me wonder– why didn’t I think of that?

  6. #
    6
    Tempered Woman — January 28, 2008 at 3:36 pm

    Hey~ I made lemon maringue cuppies too! I am so sold on making pies this way in the future- very fun. Love the spikies- great job.

  7. #
    7
    Nikki57 — January 28, 2008 at 4:39 pm

    Your LMP looks great! I love the cuppies

  8. #
    8
    CB — January 28, 2008 at 5:22 pm

    LMP cuppys rule! ::high five:: love all the pictures of your process… great job!

  9. #
    9
    Marye — January 28, 2008 at 5:29 pm

    I really like the little pies everyone is making..now I want to redo mine.blessings,
    marye
    http://bakingdelights.com

  10. #
    10
    michelle — January 28, 2008 at 7:15 pm

    Oh so cute! I had considered trying my second attempt in a cupcake tin… until I waited until the last minute, that is! 🙂

  11. #
    11
    ruthEbabes — January 28, 2008 at 9:27 pm

    Congrats! These look fabulously divine!

  12. #
    12
    Butta Buns — January 28, 2008 at 9:40 pm

    Ah ha, another fellow Boston baker! Your tarts are beautiful! Love the peaks on the meringue!

  13. #
    13
    How To Eat A Cupcake — January 28, 2008 at 10:19 pm

    Those are so perfect!

    PS: I have those red measuring bowls. I love them! 😀

  14. #
    14
    I(dot)J — January 28, 2008 at 11:49 pm

    so SMART to have all of your ingredients out FIRST. I really should know this by now.

  15. #
    15
    Dolores — January 29, 2008 at 1:52 am

    Ooooh, I love your cupcake-pies. How’d you make the meringue spikey?

    And what did the husband think of the final product?

  16. #
    16
    breadchick — January 29, 2008 at 2:00 am

    your little ones are adorable. Great job on your challenge!!

  17. #
    17
    MrsPresley — January 29, 2008 at 2:35 am

    your lemon meringue cupcakes are so cute! job well done! 🙂

  18. #
    18
    Beth G. — January 29, 2008 at 2:36 am

    They’re so cute!! Great job!! :O)

  19. #
    19
    kate — January 29, 2008 at 2:54 am

    i had that crust shrinkage problem too. it’s a bummer.

    ———-
    kate
    http://www.thecleanplateclub.net

  20. #
    20
    Jen — January 29, 2008 at 2:58 am

    Dolores – I just spread the meringue around and then using a spatula, pressed it into the meringue and pulled it out and voila! Spikes!

  21. #
    21
    Andrea — January 29, 2008 at 3:06 am

    Your little cupcakes are adorable! That was a great idea!

  22. #
    22
    Princess of the kitchen — January 29, 2008 at 7:32 am

    Your little tarts lok just lovely. well done!

  23. #
    23
    Big Boys Oven — January 29, 2008 at 8:31 am

    a challenge executed incrediblely well!

  24. #
    24
    Deborah — January 29, 2008 at 3:54 pm

    They look just perfect!!

  25. #
    25
    Candace — January 29, 2008 at 4:10 pm

    Nice job!

  26. #
    26
    Megan — January 29, 2008 at 7:34 pm

    Too cute! Love the cupcakes. I want one!

  27. #
    27
    Carrie — January 30, 2008 at 12:02 am

    My crust did the same thing! Your cupcakes look great though!
    ~Carrie from bakersbakery.wordpress.com

  28. #
    28
    Lane — January 30, 2008 at 6:35 am

    Your “pie-cups” look perfect. Great job!

    Jane of VeganBits.com

  29. #
    29
    Lunch Buckets — January 30, 2008 at 6:48 am

    Very cute! Did you turn away and silently mock your husband “my mom makes a great…”, no of course you wouldn’t have, I must be projecting 🙂

  30. #
    30
    Sheltie Girl — January 30, 2008 at 3:19 pm

    You did a wonderful job on your lemon meringue tarts!

    Natalie @ Gluten A Go Go

    ~ We’re lactose intolerant at our house too.

  31. #
    31
    Quellia — January 30, 2008 at 5:27 pm

    Nice cupcakes! And if it makes you feel any better, I’ve been a DB’er for a year and friends and family, all non-bloggers, always know what I’m making. They kinda have to since I always tape the recipe up on the kitchen cupboards!

  32. #
    32
    creampuff — January 30, 2008 at 8:52 pm

    Yayy! I love reading success posts like this! They look great and that’s a good idea to bake them in muffin tins. Well done!

  33. #
    33
    BrineS — January 31, 2008 at 7:22 am

    I love your little lemon meringues!

  34. #
    34
    Jen Yu — January 31, 2008 at 5:53 pm

    Awesome! I love how differently everyone’s turned out, but these little cuties are so adorable 🙂 Great job!!

  35. #
    35
    Claire — February 1, 2008 at 1:34 am

    So cute! I’m sure everyone enjoyed you addition to the spread!

  36. #
    36
    Jigginjessica — February 2, 2008 at 4:31 pm

    I love cupcake idea. One big pie seems so messy, these seem neat and tidy. Congrats on another successful challenge!

  37. #
    37
    Jelli Bean — August 20, 2009 at 3:09 pm

    The shrinking crust always affects my mini cupcake pies too. The trick is to make them overhang the cups enough so that they shrink down to just the right size. Your little pies are darling!

  38. #
    38
    kijiji in edmonton canada — September 14, 2013 at 11:12 pm

    It’s awesome for me to have a website, which is helpful in
    favor of my know-how. thanks admin

Leave a Comment