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Last week, Jason and I went to dinner with one of our closest friends and you know that feeling you get when you know there might be more to the dinner than there really is? Like all day, I was like, “something is going to happen” or “why do I get this unsettling feeling that my world is going to come crashing down soon?” Well, not totally crash down, but you get what I mean. So, we were talking and catching up and something was said that alluded to ‘colder weather’ and then it happened. They told us they’re moving to San Francisco :'(
Such a bittersweet moment. Of course we’re thrilled for this new adventure that they’re embarking on but my selfishness gets in the way and I don’t want them to leave us! I guess on the bright side, we can always visit them in San Francisco since it’s a very easy plane ride and hello, Napa weekend! It’s definitely a hard pill to swallow when you realize your close friends are moving across the country and you can’t just randomly call them up for lunch anymore but actually have to plan months out, but nonetheless, we wish them the best of luck.
I don’t like when friends move away. Everyone that I know should just bloom where they are planted. Just kidding :) I’m just being emotional.
Okay, so homemade caramel is REALLY easy to make. Sometimes I wonder why I even run to the store to get caramel candies and melt them. Caramel sauce at home is suuuuper easy and really does taste A LOT better than store-bought. It’s got a better consistency and not to mention it’s cheaper! I’m in love with salted caramel so what better way than to make jars of homemade salted caramel sauce?
You’ll want to bookmark this recipe because several upcoming recipes use this homemade salted caramel sauce! Can you tell I was pretty much up to my eyeballs (still am) in salted caramel so I decided I’d drizzle it on everything? You can always cut down the recipe and not make as much as I did but I like having some in the fridge just for those days that you feel like your ice cream or dessert needs a bit of a sprucing!
Before the recipe, I put a step by step on how the sugar meltdown will look. It’ll help you with the process and you won’t doubt yourself! It’s kind of weird in the beginning because everything clumps together and you’re like, “OMG DID I MESS UP?!” so seeing these photos will definitely ease those feelings! Just be patient and you’ll soon get a luscious homemade salted caramel sauce!
Homemade Salted Caramel Sauce
Ingredients
- 2 cups (400 g) granulated sugar
- 12 tablespoons (168 g) unsalted butter, diced into 1-inch cubes
- 1 cup (237 ml) heavy cream
- 2 teaspoons of Kosher salt, please see notes
Instructions
- In a semi-deep non-stick pot, heat sugar over medium high heat, stirring often.
- The sugar will soon start to clump together. This is ok and what it is supposed to do! (See photos above)
- The sugar will soon start to break down into a liquid and you’ll want to switch to a whisk to get rid of the clumps.
- Once the sugar is in liquid form, you’ll want to continue swirling the pot until it boils until it turns an amber color.
- Once that happens, carefully add the butter. The mixture will hiss and splatter a bit. Continue stirring until all the butter has melted.
- Once the butter has melted, CAREFULLY add the heavy cream. Since the heavy cream will be cold, your mixture will bubble and splatter a bit as well. Stir the mixture then let boil for 3 minutes.
- Remove from heat, stir in the salt, and let completely cool before you pour it into any jars.
- Store in the refrigerator and warm up slightly to drizzle or use for desserts.
Notes
Nutrition
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Hi, I made the salted caramel sauce but it taste burnt. Any idea what i did wrong?
thank you
that’s a very generalized statement. without being in the kitchen with you and seeing what you did or seeing the final product…it’s really hard for me to say. the only thing i can think of is that you actually burned the sugar while making the caramel sauce.
I too love salted caramel and I have not made it. I am 81 yrs old and it is hard for me to cook anything. But thanks for the recipe.
You’re welcome!
Where did you get those spoons from?
World Market!
Hi I’m just wondering if you were to put the hot caramel sauce into a warm jar and seal it with warm lids to can, have you done this?
I haven’t done it myself and I have advised others to do it but I’ve gotten responses where people say you shouldn’t. So I really don’t know what the call is. I’m not experienced with canning.
Please, please, please do not recommend people can this to be shelf stable. This is not safe. There is absolutely no tested safe way to can ANY DAIRY products.
You might want to tell the Amish that. They’ve been canning milk for centuries and seem to be surviving just fine. My grandparents and all of their siblings were born between 1903 and 1925. All of them drank canned milk, as did their parents and their children and me and all of my cousins and siblings. Every single one of them lived at least their late 70’s, most into their 80s and my French Canadian grandmother only died two years ago at the terribly young age of 99 and 1/2. Not one of them died of food poisoning.
Milk is a low acid food, and canning it does require a certain amount of care, as do all low-acid vegetables and fruits. A pressure cooker should be used and it’s important to make sure that the temperatures of all items that will touch the food get up above 320 degrees Fahrenheit. You should also follow all the rules that you would for canning any food which is to make sure that you sterilize everything and once you have sterilized it, do not touch anything that will come in contact with the food with your hands and use jar and lid lifters and proper canning funnels, if a funnel is neccesary.
Also, if you can’t can milk, why is it completely available in both cans and ultra high temperature pasteurized boxes
Please stop spreading your misinformation, you are simply incorrect.
Is it possible to can this recipe for a winter treat?
Yes, you can. However, I haven’t done it myself but I think others have done it before!
My sauce appears to have set once it has cooler Andy is no longer runn.
what if you only have salted butter how much salt do you put in
I would actually not add any salt until you get a chance to taste it. 12 tablespoons of salted butter sounds like this caramel sauce would be salty enough without the additional salt added.
I always use salted butter and add just a teaspoon of pink Himalayan Sea Salt. Comea out perfect!
I made this last night as part of a Christmas present full of sweet sauces for my sister and boss, and let me tell you…..this stuff is flippin amazing. My husband is upset that I’m giving it all away. Thanks so much for sharing this recipe, it will be made frequently.
I am such a fan of salted caramel and this recipe has defintelty won me over. It is a very cost effective, quick, easy to make and absolutely delicious recipe. Where can I find more of your recipes?
The entire site.