Salted Caramel Sauce (15-minute recipe) The Art of Food and Wine (2024)

FAQs

What is the difference between caramel sauce and salted caramel? ›

Caramel is simply sugar that has been melted and then cooked until it browns (caramelized). Salted caramel is the same, just with the addition of salt.

For each cup (240 mL) of caramel sauce that you need to thicken, run 1 tbsp (14.7 mL) of cold water into a measuring cup, and slowly stir in 1 tbsp of cornstarch. Pour the cornstarch mixture into your pot caramel sauce, and stir constantly. Keep the sauce on low heat until it begins to thicken.

The caramel sauce will harden slightly because of the introduction of a colder temperature, but storing it in a proper container in the fridge will keep it fresh and ready to use for 2 to 3 weeks. Simply warm the caramel sauce in the microwave to make it smooth again.

Sugar Note: Most chefs say that only granulated sugar can be successfully caramelized; other sugars — such as brown sugar and unrefined sugar such as cane sugar — contain impurities that can inhibit caramelization. It's those impurities that can burn before the sugar has time to caramelize.

Caramel sauce results either from cooking sugar until it browns or by thinning melted caramel candies. When a recipe calls for melting caramel candies, you can use a homemade caramel sauce to replace the melted caramels.

Add acid. Acid ingredients (like vinegar or lemon juice) can help prevent re-crystallization which causes caramel to become grainy. Acid physically breaks the bonds between the glucose and fructose molecules that form sucrose and ensure that it stays apart.

If caramels are too soft, that means the temperature didn't get high enough.

Caramel is made by heating sugar (either with a liquid or by itself, more on that below!) in a heavy-bottomed saucepan until it melts and becomes clear. The liquefied sugar is then cooked, without stirring, until it darkens in color, taking on additional flavor notes the longer it remains on the heat.

Caramel and dulce de leche might look and taste somewhat similar, but they are actually pretty different. While caramel is made from slowly simmering water and sugar until it caramelizes, dulce de leche is made from simmering milk and sugar super slowly until it turns into a creamy, caramelized substance.

If the melting sugar splashes up onto the sides of the pan, it quickly loses its moisture content and forms back into crystals. That can set off a chain reaction that can cause caramel to seize up, ruining the entire batch.

Does homemade salted caramel go bad? ›

Caramel sauce isn't necessarily dangerous if it's been kept for a few days too long, but it certainly won't taste as nice. The absolute exception to that rule is the presence of mold. If you notice mold, toss the sauce immediately. Before you reheat your sauce, be sure to check it for signs that it might have spoiled.

In terms of appearance, spoiled caramel will appear lumpy or hard. The liquids and solids may have separated, creating a watery film. A significant color change is also a good indicator that your sauce has gone bad. If the sight test checks out, give your caramel sauce a sniff.

Mix the vanilla bean extract into the double cream and carefully pour it into the pan (be careful to avoid hot splashes). Whisk in the butter and add a good pinch of sea salt. Leave the salted caramel to cool and transfer into a sterilized jar – it will keep in the fridge for up to two weeks.

There are many different kinds of caramel, including soft caramels, hard caramels, and chewy caramels. Soft caramels are made with a high proportion of milk or cream, which gives them a soft, creamy texture. Hard caramels, on the other hand, are made with very little milk or cream, and have a harder, crunchier texture.

When creating caramel, there are typically two different versions: wet caramel and dry caramel. Wet caramel refers to caramel that has been made by adding water to the sugar during the heating process.

These are sweet, salty, sour, bitter and umami. Salted caramel combines two of these, giving an effect that chefs call “flavour layering”. Salt also acts as an enhancer of flavour (that's why you sprinkle it on your chips, for instance), so that's why it makes caramel taste even better.

Admittedly, there is not much difference between sauce and topping. The biggest difference between the two is in the thickness. Caramel sauce is thicker and usually richer, whereas a topping is thinner and sweeter.