This is a classic caramel sauce using caramelized sugar. Be careful when making this - the sugar gets very hot when you are caramelzing it and if you're not careful can cause some nasty burns. Also, once the sugar begins to brown it can turn from a nice caramel color to the burnt stage rather quickly.

Classic Caramel Sauce

Ingredients

• 8 oz. sugar
• 2 oz. unsalted butter, soft
• 8 oz. cream, warmed

Procedure

1. In a heavy bottomed stainless steel saucepan, heat sugar over medium-high heat. Stirring constantly with a wooden spoon or other heavy heat-proof spoon, cook sugar until it is melted and the color is of desired shade - the darker the sugar, the darker the caramel sauce (but be careful: sugar when heated is very hot, and burns very quickly).
2. Remove from heat and carefully add in softened butter; stir to melt. Watch the sugar as it will bubble up. With a stainless steel whisk, stream in the warm cream slowly while constantly whisking. If any large lumps are present, stir over low heat until melted. Strain sauce through a fine mesh sieve into a plastic storage container that is set over an ice bath. Allow to cool, cover and chill until ready to use.

Notes

 

Content by Renee Shelton. Recipe from Renee Shelton's recipe files. This recipe was first published on PastrySampler.com on January 10, 2007. It was updated on September 29, 2020.