An Inspired Cook

I don’t know about you all but it sure is feeling like Fall around here in the Midwest.  The morning air is crisp and cool and it’s so refreshing to be able to open up the doors and windows for some fresh air after a long hot summer.  I’ve been thinking of fall baking and patiently waiting on my homemade Vanilla Extract and Vanilla Sugar which still need a few weeks for the fullest flavor to come through.  I found another tip on that same holiday episode of “Kelsey’s Essentials” on how to make Salted Caramel Sauce which can be used in so many recipes.  It looked so easy that I had to give it a try.  My first attempt, I had a hiccup when I read the recipe too quickly and ended up with rock candy instead of caramel syrup.  The key is patience and no stirring.  My first batch I stirred furiously and when the liquid evaporated it was like a vacuum sucking the water out and the sugar crystallized in seconds.  I was devastated at first wondering what I did wrong, so I looked at the the recipe again and there it was plain as day, it said NOT to stir once it begins to boil.  Well, I gave it another go and this time I had the tastiest caramel sauce ever.

The ingredients are sugar, water, heavy cream, butter and sea salt.

In a heavy bottomed saucepan heat the water and sugar over medium low heat until the sugar dissolves.

It’s just beginning, use your spatula or wooden spoon to scrape down any sugar crystals that form on the sides of the pan.

When it is beginning to boil, turn the heat up to just past medium and resist the urge to stir!  I had a problem with the heat boiling on one side more than another so I would turn the pan around without stirring.

Just starting to turn color.

Getting browner but I don’t think it’s ready yet.

This took about 7 minutes to get to the dark amber color.  At this point remove the pan from the heat.

Whisk in the heavy cream slowly as the mixture will start to bubble.   In order to have a smooth sauce keep whisking even after all the cream has been added.

Add the 4 tablespoons of butter and continue whisking as the butter melts into the sauce.

Add a teaspoon of sea salt and stir.

Once the sauce is smooth, pour into a glass container with a lid to store.  I filled two 1/2 pint jars.

It tastes so good and really only took a half hour from start to finish.  This sauce is going to be the focus of another recipe coming up.

Salted Caramel Sauce (adapted from Kelsey’s Essentials on the Cooking Channel)

1 cup Sugar
1/4 cup Water
3/4 cup Heavy Cream
4 tablespoons Unsalted Butter
1 teaspoon Grey Sea Salt

In a heavy bottomed saucepan, combine sugar and water over medium low heat until the sugar dissolves.  Bring to a boil without stirring, increase the heat to just above medium and boil 5 – 7 minutes or until mixture becomes a dark amber color.

Remove the sugar mixture from heat and carefully whisk in the heavy cream slowly, as the mixture will bubble.  Stir in the salt and butter.   Pour into a glass jar to cool.  Refrigerate up to 2 weeks.  Reheat sauce before serving.

Makes 1 pint