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best Salted Caramel

Salted Caramel

Salted caramel is the dream marriage between rich, sweet caramel flavor and just the right hint of saltiness. You just need to heat some sugar until it turns deep amber, then throw in the butter, cream, and salt. Easy, right?
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Course: Frosting
Cuisine: American
Prep Time: 5 minutes
Cook Time: 12 minutes
Total Time: 17 minutes
Servings: 1 Cup
Calories: 212kcal
Author: Brenda Maher

Ingredients

  • 1 cup granulated sugar
  • 6 tbsp unsalted butter, sliced, room temperature
  • ½ cup heavy cream, room temperature
  • 1 tsp regular table salt or flaky sea salt

Instructions

  • Grab a medium saucepan (not nonstick) and toss in your granulated sugar. Set it over medium heat and stir with a wooden spoon or silicone spatula. Those sugar clumps will soon vanish, leaving you with a rich amber liquid (about 6 minutes should do, but watch out to make sure it doesn't burn).
  • Add the unsalted butter. Give it a good stir until the butter is fully combined and melted (3 to 4 minutes). If you see any separation or clumps, take it off the heat and whisk until it's smooth again. Wear some gloves to keep splatter away.
  • Grab the heavy cream. Slowly pour it in while stirring constantly, then let it boil for a minute without stirring. You can also whip out a candy thermometer: when it's done, it should hit around 220°F (or 104°C).
  • Remove it from the heat and sprinkle in some salt. Give it a good mix, then let it cool down a bit. It will thicken into the final caramel sauce. Enjoy!

Notes

  1. When you add butter to the hot caramel, it will often splatter vigorously. To avoid burns, stand back slightly and add the butter in batches, allowing it to be fully incorporated before adding more.
  2. If your sugar crystallizes while cooking, dip a pastry brush in water and brush down the sides of the saucepan to dissolve the crystals. You can also add a few drops of water or lemon juice, but don't go overboard, as it can affect the final texture.
  3. Heavy cream is usually used in salted caramel, but for an even richer flavor, try double cream. Just be aware that this will make the sauce thicker and slightly less pourable.
  4. Once cooled, store your salted caramel sauce in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 10 days.
  5. Use salted caramel creatively in some recipes, like Earl Gray Tea cake, pear pie, toasted sesame knot buns, or shortbread cookies.

Nutrition

Calories: 212kcal | Carbohydrates: 27g | Fat: 12g | Saturated Fat: 7g | Cholesterol: 31mg | Sodium: 93mg | Potassium: 52mg | Sugar: 27g | Calcium: 35mg
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