Caramel Sauce

Show: Barefoot ContessaEpisode: Happy Ever After

Rated: 4 stars out of 5Rate itRead users' reviews (54)

RECIPE
COMMENTS & REVIEWS(54)

Cook Time:
13 min
Level:
Intermediate
Yield:
5 servings

Times:

Prep: 5 min
Inactive Prep: 4 hr 0 min
Cook: 13 min
Total:: 4 hr 18 min

Recipe Tools:

Select a Card Size

Add To My Recipe Box

Success

This recipe was added to your Folder_Name folder.

Do not show this message again

Add To My Recipe Box

Please sign in to add this recipe to your Recipe Box.

Ingredients

1 1/2 cups sugar
1/3 cup water
1 1/4 cups heavy cream
1/2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

Directions

Mix the water and sugar in a medium heavy-bottomed saucepan. Cook over low heat for 5 to 10 minutes, until the sugar dissolves. Do not stir. Increase the heat to medium and boil uncovered until the sugar turns a warm chestnut brown (about 350 degrees F on a candy thermometer), about 5 to 7 minutes, gently swirling the pan to stir the mixture. Be careful – the mixture is extremely hot! Watch the mixture very carefully at the end, as it will go from caramel to burnt very quickly. Turn off the heat. Stand back to avoid splattering and slowly add the cream and vanilla. Don't worry - the cream will bubble violently and the caramel will solidify.

Simmer over low heat, stirring constantly, until the caramel dissolves and the sauce is smooth, about 2 minutes. Allow to cool to room temperature, at least 4 hours. It will thicken as it sits.

Next Recipe

More recipes? Try these recommendations:

Similar Recipe

Crushed Blackberry Sundae with Toasted Pecans, Caramel Sauce, and Whipped Cream

Similar Recipes

Recipes Like This

All About…

Recipe Collections

Showing 1-10 of 55

View all 55 Dessert Collections

Comments & Reviews

recipe Caramel Sauce
Sally Indianapolis, IN 11-04-2009
Flag

No issues with regular whipping cream...
Rated: 5 stars out of 5

Tried this and thought it was excellent! Was easy and I did only have whipping cream vs heavy whipping cream (heavy cream is... the SAME as heavy whipping cream--is 36-38% butterfat vs regular whipping cream @ 30%). To thicken up a bit, just stuck it in the freezer and it was perfect. Also I added about 1/2 c peanut butter to make mine a caramel-peanutbutter sauce to dip apples in...was WAY better than what you can get in store!!!! Thanks Ina! You are one of my favs!Read more
recipe Caramel Sauce
Jill Kettle Falls, WA 10-30-2009
Flag

Simple and delicious
Rated: 5 stars out of 5

The sauce turned out great for me. I usually burn anything on the stove that involves sugar, but this turned out just fine. ... I did have crystallization, for whatever reason, no swirling? lazy? a stray sugar crystal? rain? In all likely hood I did use beet sugar (I'm cheap that way) and had no problems. Also, my timing was off from the recipe, as others have noted, I have a persnickety electric stove, so I was just patient, and found that I needed to add about 10 minutes each to dissolving the sugar and then getting to turn that yummy caramel color. Changes next time? I might add some salt.Read more
recipe Caramel Sauce
Amanda Lemont, IL 09-27-2009
Flag

CANE SUGAR is a must!!
Rated: 5 stars out of 5

Unfortunately, recipes don't tell you to use CANE sugar. If the packaging doesn't specifically say the product comed from... cane sugar (brands like Domino, C&H, etc.) then the product is most likely made from SUGAR BEETS (brands like Crystal Sugar and generics.) Sugar beet sugar tastes just fine and will work for everyday baking and sweetening, but it will never caramelize. It has a slightly different molecular structure than cane sugar. I always use cane sugar for recipes like cinnimon rolls where you want good caramelization. Read more
recipe Caramel Sauce
Sally Northford, CT 09-06-2009
Flag

Watch the kind of sugar you use.
Rated: 5 stars out of 5

The first time I made this receipe, it turned out exactly how it was supposed to. The next time, the sugar crystallized and... never came close to temperature. I dumped it and started again thinking I had contaminated the sugar water in some way. Same thing happened. Then I went through the reviews and comments and saw someone remark that if the sugar is not "cane" sugar, this would happen. I read the sugar pack that I had gotten from a discount supermaket and it said made with cane sugar. However, the next day I went and bought a container of name brand cane sugar, made the receipe and it came out like the first time. Read more
recipe Caramel Sauce
Taaliyah Jacksonville, FL 07-29-2009
Flag

Good But.....
Rated: 4 stars out of 5

I just finished making this recipe and when i tasted it , it was a bit too sweet so i added a pinch of salt and it was... wonderful , balanced it out perfectly ....Read more
recipe Caramel Sauce
helen summerville, SC 07-22-2009
Flag

people using butter
Rated: 5 stars out of 5

I love butter. When do you put the butter in? Will be trying this tomorrow.