Salted caramel sauce

Method

1. 1

   Step 1

   Warm the cream in a small pan or the microwave until hot but not boiling, and have the butter and salt ready. Everything must be to hand before the sugar (opens in a new tab) starts to colour.

   • 3 min
   • low heat
   • Saucepan (opens in a new tab)
2. 2

   Step 2

   Put the sugar (opens in a new tab) and water in a heavy, light-coloured saucepan (opens in a new tab) over medium heat and stir gently only until the sugar dissolves. Then stop stirring; brush down any crystals on the sides with a wet pastry brush (opens in a new tab).

   • 3 min
   • medium heat
   • Saucepan (opens in a new tab)
   • Pastry brush (opens in a new tab)
3. 3

   Step 3

   Boil without stirring, swirling the pan gently once colour appears, for 8–10 minutes until the caramel is a deep amber, like a copper coin, and just starting to smoke (about 180 °C).

   • 9 min
   • 180°C · Deep amber; stop before it turns dark brown.
   • medium-high heat
   • Food thermometer (opens in a new tab)

   Food safety: Molten sugar is far hotter than boiling water (160–180 °C) and sticks to skin. Use a deep pan, keep children away, and add cream slowly because it bubbles up violently.

4. 4

   Step 4

   Take off the heat and pour in the warm cream in a slow stream, whisking — it will bubble up furiously. Whisk (opens in a new tab) in the butter, cube by cube, then the salt. If any hard lumps form, return to low heat and whisk until smooth.

   • 3 min
   • low heat
   • Whisk (opens in a new tab)

   Food safety: Molten sugar is far hotter than boiling water (160–180 °C) and sticks to skin. Use a deep pan, keep children away, and add cream slowly because it bubbles up violently.

   

5. 5

   Step 5

   Cool for 15 minutes; it thickens as it cools. Pour into a clean jar.

   • 1 min
   • Glass jar with lid (opens in a new tab)