Caramel is such an easy thing to make but can often go wrong.
I keep a jar of this in my cupboard for baking with or topping ice cream. A lot of recipes call for butter but I prefer making mine without. I find it works better when adding it to recipes. The other thing I do different is use pink salt. I’ve been doing this for years and everyone always asks what I add to my caramel to make it taste so good. I used to use sea salt with good results but once I tried making it with pink salt on a whim and now it’s the only way I make it!
I don’t use a candy thermometer, I find it’s easier to watch the color. For me, it’s just perfect when it’s a medium amber. Using a nonstick pot will make it easier to clean but harder to see what color it is so I use a heavy stainless pot. Boiling water in the pot afterwards helps cleanup.
This sauce makes perfect little gifts and can be used for an apple dip, ice cream sauce, or incorporated into baking instead of melting down caramel cubes (which taste like straight corn syrup, not caramel!)
Pink Salt Caramel Sauce
Ingredients
- 3 cups sugar
- 3/4 cup water
- 1 1/2 cups heavy whipping cream
- 2 Tablespoons vanilla extract or vanilla bean paste, or seeds from 1 vanilla bean
- 1 Tablespoon pink salt
Instructions
- In a large pot (this will bubble up substantially, so use a really big pot!) whisk to combine the sugar and water over medium high heat.
- Watch without stirring until sauce has turned caramel in color (this goes from pale to burnt quickly so watch closely) This usually takes around 10 minutes to get there but it can vary some.
- Remove from heat and add the cream, vanilla, and salt. Be very careful as it will sputter up.
- Return to heat and simmer for a few minutes, whisking until smooth.
- Remove from heat and let cool slightly before pouring into a jar.
- Keep at room temperature in a covered jar for several months.
