Are you looking for a caramel sauce that is thick, creamy and buttery? This is where you will find the recipe for it.
Caramel sauce can be used in so many things such as fillings for your cakes, as a sauce for puddings, ice cream, cookies, fruits and chips.
This caramel sauce is really simple to make but if this is your first time making caramel, below are some safety pointers so you don't hurt yourself in the first go!
CARAMELIZING OF SUGAR
When sugar are caramelized, this means that they have turned from that white sugar to between light and dark golden in color, and this is simply achieved by gently heating the sugar over a heat source on low to medium heat over time.
One of the tips of caramelizing sugar is by going nice and slow on the heat, with minimum stirring as vigorous or constant movement of the sugar will cause the melted sugar granules to reconnect and crystalize again, which can cause the caramel sauce to become lumpy in the end. This process is often referred to recrystallization.
DEGLAZING WITH HOT LIQUID
When making caramel sauce, caramel are first made from the sugar and then diluted with hot cream or liquid to thicken it to a sauce. This is the process called deglazing.
When deglazing the hot sugar caramel, it is important that the liquid that you deglaze the sugar with is boiling hot. If cold cream or liquid are added in to the hot sugar caramel, the cold temperature will cause the sugar to seize, creating big lumps in the pot. If this happen, it can easily be rectified by cooking the diluted caramel while stirring until all the lumps have dissolved again, requiring additional time, which can be easily avoided if hot liquid are added in the first place.
RECIPE
150g Full Cream 35% Fat
5g Vanilla Bean Paste
2 g Gelatine Gold (1 Sheet = 2 g)
30 g Water
225g Caster Sugar
25g Glucose Syrup 105 g Unsalted Butter
METHOD
1. Heat the Cream and vanilla together in a pot until it comes to a boil. Set aside.
2. Hydrate the gelatine leaves in cold water for at least 15 minutes.
3. In a really clean deep pot, place the water, glucose and sugar in and stir with a clean spatula to combine. Heat over medium heat until it starts to boil and caramelize. The mixture will start to boil and water will begin to evaporate and gradually turn to amber in color.
Note: The caramel will start to brown on the edges, and at this point, you can start to push the sides inwards with a clean heat proof spatula and do this occasionally until the whole mixture comes to a deep amber in color.
4. Deglaze the caramel with the hot cream by streaming it into the hot caramel while continuously whisking. Be careful at this stage as the mixture can spit therefore a deep pot is ideal.
5. Once all the cream has been added, whisk until the mixture are well incorporated. Turn the heat off and transfer into a deep heat proof jug. Leave the caramel to cool to 32˚C.
6. Once cooled, add in the cubed cold but pliable butter a little at a time and emulsify with a stick blender.
STORAGE
To Store the caramel, you can place them in a container covered with a cling film touching the surface of the caramel. Store in the fridge for up to 3 weeks. Alternatively, you can fill the caramel in a pasteurised jar and keep at room temperature in a cool and dry place for up to 6 months.
