Home made caramel

I just love this home made caramel sauce, it's been my go to recipe for years! Did you know that caramel is made in 5 minutes using only 3 simple ingredients? Try this recipe and use it on literally anything; cupcake, cheesecake, apple pie, brownie or even your morning coffee!

This home made caramel is sticky, buttery and balanced in sweetness. Once you taste it, I can guarantee that you will be making it over and over again!

First let’s start with some important tips regarding the ingredients of this home made caramel recipe

• read the recipe carefully
• avoid using substitutes unless aware of how to fully reformulate the recipe in order to keep the balance in texture as well as flavours
• measure your ingredients with the help of a digital kitchen scale

1. Granulated sugar: Use white granulated sugar, nothing fancy. If you want to learn about the different types of sugar and how to use them in baking, please read my article in here
2. Butter: Use always unsalted as you want to be in control of the quantity of the salt. I am using 82% fat content butter in all my recipes. It is very important that butter needs to be at room temperature. If butter is too cold, it won't incorporate properly into the caramelised sugar
3. Heavy cream: Also known as whipping cream, has a fat content between 36% and 40% . Use it room temperature and avoid substitutes like vegetable based “whipping cream”

Now let’s continue with some further important tips regarding the technique of making this home made caramel recipe

1. How to melt sugar

Good news is that you won't need a thermometer to make this caramel, instead you will apply some eyeballing* method to judge the colour of the caramel. First and foremost chose the size of the pan taking into consideration that this is a "one bowl" recipe so that all the ingredients will have to fit in.

There are two different methods to melt sugar for caramel; 1. Wet caramel is when first sugar is dissolved in a little water and then caramelized 2. Dry caramel is when sugar is melted and caramelized on its own. In this recipe I am sharing with you how to make dry caramel!

Melt sugar over medium - high heat and do not stir until it starts caramelising (getting golden in colour). Once it starts to turn into golden brown start stirring constantly with a heatproof rubber spatula. The sugar might form clumps at the beginning but as you are stirring eventually everything will melt into a thick brown, amber-colored caramel. Be careful not to burn the caramel, it is a good idea to lower the temperature after you start stirring. The right temperature is a bit of experiment with your own stove. As an indication, it should get a lovely caramel smell after 3-4 minutes, however if you feel burnt smell, start again on lower temperature. While melting sugar please make sure to watch it all the time and definitely do not walk away!

*Eyeballing statistics is the process of looking at a set of data and making estimates of statistical values without carrying out statistical calculations.

2. How to incorporate butter

It is key that your butter is on room temperature so soft enough before incorporating into the hot caramel. Once sugar melted, immediately start whisking the butter in. I like to add the butter in 3 steps stirring vigorously between each addition. Be very careful as caramel will bubble a lot when butter is added, it is absolutely normal and do not stop stirring. You might experience that butter is separating (due to different temperatures meeting), in this case keep whisking vigorously and everything will come together in a few minutes.

3. How to incorporate cream

Cream should be also on room temperature even better if lukewarm. Once butter and sugar fully incorporated mix in cream slowly while stirring constantly. Since the heavy cream is colder than the caramel, the mixture will rapidly bubble again but do not worry, it is normal. Allow the mixture to boil, it will rise and bubble but will go back to normal, beautiful amber colour caramel in about a minute.

+1 tip

You can add 1 teaspoon of salt onto the caramel at the very end for an absolutely delicious salted caramel

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Now let's see the recipe of this home made caramel