Say hello to the BEST Salted Caramel Sauce!
I know calling something the BEST is a bold statement but salted caramel is something I take very seriously. I’ve tried a lot of salted caramel sauces and I feel qualified to make this designation.
The ratio of butter to sugar to cream is perfect and there is just the right note of saltiness from the fleur de sel. It’s so, so, so good!!! So rich and creamy! I use this caramel sauce in caramel butter bars, caramel chocolate chip blondies, caramel cupcakes, caramel swiss meringue buttercream, caramel apple streusel tart, and so much more!
Don't you hate when you have a bad caramel day? Each attempt either seizes up or burns. And then to add injury to insult, the ruined caramel has the audacity to burn you! It's worse than a bad hair day. Seriously. Way worse. Maybe these things only happen to me...
Fortunately yesterday was not one of those days!
Even my cat loves this caramel! That is how universally loved it is. I had to keep shooing her from my photograph set or she would lick the sauce from the spoon.
And in the spirit of making everyday a good caramel day…
A few things I’ve learned about making salted caramel sauce [the hard way]:
- There is a sliding scale of acceptable caramel flavor. From the very light in color and, in my opinion, light on taste to the almost burnt, dark, sultry caramel that I prefer. The final taste will depend on when you add the butter to stop the cooking process. The caramel pictured in this post is that middle ground – universally accepted as a delicious, well-prepared caramel. I added the butter when the sugar had just turned amber in color and you could smell the cooking caramel but it did not have even a hint of a burning smell. My favorite caramel is cooked just a little bit longer (only another 15 to 20 seconds or so) and I add the butter when the sugar turns a deeper, rich amber color and there is just the slightest hint of burning scent when you waft the vapors (just like they taught in middle school chemistry).
- I have burned more caramel using a thermometer than I have using the senses God gave me, thus I dispense with the thermometer. I suggest you do the same. It’s just one extra dish to wash…unless you are trying to make candy (soft ball or hard crack) to which process a thermometer is essential.
- Have your butter and heavy whipping cream at room temperature. If you add a cold liquid to the hot sugar, it will seize up and you won’t be able to recover it.If you have a gas stove that delivers consistent, even heat, then feel free to whisk your sugar as it melts (as per the Brown Eyed Baker), but if you are cooking on an induction stovetop like me, then I find it best to refrain from whisking. Honestly cooking caramel on a gas stove is so much easier. Sigh. Some day.
- Be sure to whisk in the fleur de sel IMMEDIATELY after the cream otherwise it won’t completely incorporate. I also can taste the difference between Maldon’s Fleur de Sel and regular sea salt. I think it’s worth the splurge! 🙂
- The Golden Rule of caramel making is DON’T WALK AWAY. Stand your ground at the stove. Don’t let your cat pester you into feeding her or your husband ask you to look at something. Your caramel focus will be broken and something will go horribly wrong. I know. These things happen.
Recipe
The BEST Salted Caramel Sauce
Ingredients
- 2 cups granulated sugar
- 12 tablespoons unsalted butter (at room temperature and cut into pieces)
- 1 cup heavy cream (at room temperature)
- 1 tablespoon fleur de sel (or another sea salt)
Instructions
- In a 2 to 3 quart saucepan, melt the sugar over medium-high heat. Lots of recipes call for you to stir until all the sugar is melted, but, for me, I get superior, more consistent results on my induction stove if I just let it be and swirl the pan frequently.
- Once all the sugar has melted, watch your caramel like a hawk; swirling the pan occasionally. As soon as the sugar turns amber in color, add your butter and whisk vigorously. It will bubble up aggressively but just keep whisking until all the butter has melted.
- Remove pan from the heat and slowly pour in the cream while whisking vigorously. The caramel is going to bubble aggressively again, so be careful, but stand your ground.
- Whisk until all the cream is incorporated and then whisk in the fleur de sel.
- Set the sauce aside to cool for 15 minutes prior to pouring it into a glass jar to cool completely.
Video Instructions
Nice blog thanks to publish here keep doing.
Hi Sheela! Thank you for visitng and commenting. ????
I used this recipe for my first attempt at caramel several years ago. I now make it every year during the holidays and give it out as gifts. It comes out perfect every time and always gets rave reviews! So easy, too. Thank you!
Hi Emily! That's so wonderful to hear, totally makes my day! Happy holidays to you and yours. ❤
Great blog thanks for this blog.
Hi! Thanks for visiting and commenting! ????
Nicely written article that contains the step-by-step details which are easy for readers to comprehend.
Hi Bella! Thank you so much for you comment, hope you enjoy! ????
Nice Post!
thank you so much before because you have share very awesome post of salt caramel sauce
First time I made salted caramel and it turned out amazing. Thank you for the easy peasy recipe!
I'm so glad!
Amazing post such a great idea!! Thanks Keep posting like this.
This really makes me want to try it out, I hope it turns as tasty as it looks <3
I think adding butter to this recipe was a bad idea not only for healthy reason but also because it makes the salted caramel taste way too buttery. I had to add a lot of vanilla essence to get rid of the buttery smell. Sugar, brand name heavy cream, salt and vanilla essence is all you need to make the best salted caramel.
I'm sorry you find the flavor and smell of butter so offensive! I think the French would disagree. Butter has other properties other than flavor here, but you can certainly make it with out.
HELP!
1. I'm using kosher salt which is bigger chunks of salt than fleur de sel, as far as I know. I CANNOT get it to dissolve, no matter when I add it or how long I stir. It just sinks to the bottom.
2. When I follow the instructions exactly in melting the sugar, it almost always burns right away... I see amber coloured bubbles burst through the granulated sugar and then it's basically burnt. I'm having the hardest time finding the right temperature to melt the sugar on my gas stove. The only thing that has worked is to put it on super low and stir constantly (instead of medium high and just swirl the pan).
Hi Bridget! Fear not, you're in luck. I actually just did two different video tutorials on caramel. Plus a new post with more tips. You are making a "dry caramel" so you may absolutely stir it. There will be parts that will burn before others and that is totally normal - just keep moving the unmelted caramel to the hot spots. The melting and caramelizing sugar will melt the rest. You can also try the wet caramel method in the video.
As for the salt. I now exclusively combine the butter, cream, salt and vanilla in a small pot and then bring that just to a boil. Then set it aside and it will be ready when your caramel is. That way there is no pesky undissolved chunks of sugar or seized caramel from too cold of cream. Fleur de sel are larger piece but they (generally) more easily dissolved than kosher salt. You can't go wrong with heating it with the wet ingredients
Do you think I could do half brown sugar and half white? Also, would this thicken/harden up enough to pur over a white cake as a frosting?
HI Beth! Brown sugar does not have the same properties as white granulated sugar, so, no it won't work with half and half in the way you want it to. It will create a syrup but it will be a bit grainy unless hot. It will thicken up to pour over cake but it will have to stay cold or it will begin to run. I would also pour it onto a frozen cake. Happy baking!
In your instructions you say to melt the sugar but the recipe does not call for water. How much water does one use for 2 cups of sugar?
HI Bridget, this is a dry caramel recipe so it doesn't use water when making the caramel. If you want to turn it into the wet caramel method you totally
can. Honestly it doesn't really matter how much water you use because all the water has to evaporate before the sugar will caramelize - more water, more time to cook the sugar. No big deal. Just add enough to make wetting the sugar easy. Don't forget with a wet caramel, there is NO STIRRING after the cooking has begun, only swirling!
I needed a caramel recipe to fill chocolate cupcakes with and stumbled upon this one. Having never attempted caramel before, it took me three tries to pull it off, and what a sweet accomplishment it was! I've never been a caramel fanatic...I'm a peanut butter junkie...but, OH. MY. GOSH...this recipe could change a girl's mind! I've never had caramel this good before! Thank you for this recipe and insisting not to stir...that's what makes it work!
Hey Beth! I'm so glad you found it and persevered! It sounds like you nailed it! There is no better feeling than a beautifully made caramel sauce!
Have you ever tried caramel AND peanut butter together?! Salty sweet perfection! Happy baking!
Brilliant easy to make Put it on apple pie
Fantanstic best ever easy to make I pour it apple pie it add a great flour to it
please can i have this receipt with gramme mesure?
Hi! WHile I use grams exclusively at work, I do not have time to convert all my recipes on AHC to grams. Googling the conversion works very well especially for the simple ingredients used here. Best
Hi Lindsey Iv read your comments on the sauce are agre with all of them great ideas
The best ever I have tasted !!!! I changed the recipe Just used 100Gr butter and also did not use salt because did not have at home but really the best one the beeeeesst one 🙂
I was searching for a good recipe foe years finally find the fantastic and easy one !!!!
Lots of thanks for you Lindsay
You are most welcome!
Just did not fully understand.... the explanation says I should add sea salt immediately after adding cream and butter and after that stir until it melt?
Sir until it is incorporated. You can put the salt in the with the cream if you want. 🙂
Good afternoon! I am attempting to make your salted caramel sauce and I have tried 3 times and each time it gets too dark. 🙁 I'm using a gas stove, with a heavy bottom stainless pot, room temp butter and cream, as soon as the sugar is melted I start whisking away with everything. It's already really dark at that stage. I'm wondering if it's taking too long to cook and that's why it's getting dark? I leave the temp at medium or right below. I know gas stoves cook at a higher temp than electric/induction, so I figured I'd put it at med-high it'll really burn. Any suggestions?
Hi Julie, Oh no! So you can try a few things. Try preheating your pan on high or medium high if using a big burner on a gas stove. Then sprinkle the sugar over the hot pan. It will start to melt immediately, then sprinkle on more. You will eventually need to put larger and large quantities in. Then use a wooden spoon to gently stir it (it's more like moving it around). Even on a gas stovetop the outsides will begin to caramelize before the middle. The heat of the already caramelizing sugar will melt the remaining sugar before it begins to burn. These days I now heat my butter, cream and salt in a small saucepot to melt the butter and heat the cream, so that it will incorporate better without seizing. Don't start whisking until you add the butter/cream mixture. Make sure you have somewhere to pour the caramel to stop the cooking process. I made caramel last night for a caramel ice cream on a gas stovetop using the method above and it was beautiful. Report back!
I'm using this recipe for my Carmel apple cheesecake! Yum!
Hooray! I bet it was fantastic!
I recently aquired a ton of carmel sauce from work and want to make candy out of it for the holidays as gifts. How can I use already made and packaged carmel sauce into hard salted carmel candies?
Hmm. Well acquiring a ton of caramel sauce sounds like a blessing and a curse! 🙂 You can try to cook it again to 260 degrees and then pour it out. Let me know how it goes!
I've read most of the comments on this thread and can't wait to try out the recipe. But I have a challenge,heavy cream is hard to find here )-: . Can I use evaporated milk instead? And can I do without the brown sugar and use white sugar only. Thank you
Hi Angelica, I don't see brown sugar in the recipe, so definitely use white sugar. You can try with canned milk or you can do with just added butter. Cream makes it stay looser and pourable and gives it a little creamier taste.
Thank you for the recipe. I made it, and I have a suggestion. I think the temperature is a little high for people with gas stoves. I made it with the temp on medium high, and by the time the last of the sugar dissolved, it was burned. It was so weird. It happened so fast. I've never had that happen to me. So I made it again, a half batch this time, stirring it constantly, with the heat on medium, and it turned out beautifully. Also, I didn't have any flake salt, so I ground some coarse salt (the amount it called for), and it tastes perfect. I'll use this recipe again. Thanks!
hi
can I have the measurement in grams please
I'm a first timer at making my own caramel sauce. My husband and I live in Africa and its hard to find any ingredients, so its been up to me to make my own things. I will never go back to store bought. I found your recipe to not only be delicious, but very helpful. Like I said, I am a first time and was not expecting my first round to go so well...but it did. Thank you.
Well done, Chrissy!!! It is not an easy feat! And you totally nailed it! Happy baking!