Smooth as silk, sweet enough to lull you in a coma, and so beloved it should win all the awards—no, not Adele's alto—we mean caramel sauce. But like her voice, there is something magical about caramel. Plain old sugar transforms to create this complex and sweet substance welcome in dishes from ice cream and brussels sprouts to chicken (and very few foods can claim that distinction). Watch as food editor Claire Saffitz shows us how to whip up the sorcery of perfect caramel sauce, without burning it.
Prep Work
For all its lovely qualities, caramel is a high-maintenance baby that requires almost constant attention. Saffitz recommends getting your ingredients in order before going near the stove so you don't have to constantly step away from your confection—line up the granulated sugar, cream of tartar, tap water, unsalted butter, heavy cream, and salt before you start. If you're thinking one of these things is not like the other, you're right. Cream of tartar is a powder (nope, not cream) that acts as the acid in this recipe to prevent the sauce from crystallizing, ensuring a rich, velvety texture instead of sugar shards (though I call "Sugar Shard" as a band name).
Keep an Eye On Things
Pour one cup of granulated sugar into a heavy-bottom, high-sided saucepan to start transmogrifying (transforming) your ingredients into caramel. Add three tablespoons of water, then mix in a pinch of the cream of tartar and set the pot on medium heat. Stir until the sugar dissolves.
Photo: Alex Lau
Caramel requires that you dissolve the sugar in the mixture totally, so it seems to take a while as the mixture boils. Don't let this fool you into a false sense of security—once it starts to change color, the process moves fast. Test spoonfuls of sauce against a white plate as you go to stay on track. When the sauce reaches a light amber color, lower the heat—if you start to develop caramel nerves, while making sure you avoid some classic mistakes.
Stir, Stir, Stir
Just before the caramel burns, it's time to incorporate the four tablespoons of chopped butter, then slowly mix in the half a cup of heavy cream. Now it's time for caramel's one true love: salt (about a teaspoon of kosher).
Once the sauce has cooled a bit, spread the love. Pour it on ice cream, slather it on brownies, dip in some bacon (trust me). Save any leftover sauce in a sealed container in the fridge for several weeks (haha, yeah, leftover caramel...I have that...).
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