Caramel sauce is caramelized sugar transformed into a smooth, thick liquid through the addition of butter and cream. If it weren't for the addition of these fats, you would have toffee. Not bad, but not sauce.
While heating, you want all the sugar to come to the right temperature at the same time. Dissolving the sugar in water first helps by maintaining a more even heat through the mixture. Sugar turns brown and caramelizes around 170°C/338°F. If it gets much hotter than this it will burn. If it smells burnt and you see smoke, it is burnt. Start again.
This recipe includes two ingredients of interest: lemon juice (acid) and corn syrup. These two ingredients work together to keep the sugar in an inverted or liquid state once cool. Without them, you run the risk of the sugar crystallizing as it cools and leaving you with an unpalatable grainy caramel. If I don't have one or the other of these ingredients on hand, I proceed without it. If I am missing both, I send my partner to the store.
Grainy sugar crystals in your caramel are a no go. To further ensure this doesn't happen, use a very clean pot. Any specks or blemishes in the pot will cause the sugar to crystallize around it, and thus result in unwanted graininess. In addition, don't stir the sugar as it is melting as this will only encourage crystallization.
Makes 3/4 cup
1/2
cup cold water1
cup sugar1/4
tsp lemon juice1/2
cup heavy cream, at room temp4
tbsp butter1
tbsp corn syrup
Add the cold water, sugar and lemon juice to a medium-sized heavy-bottomed pot. Stir just enough to dampen the sugar. Cover with a lid, place over medium heat and bring to a boil. Do not stir, but occasionally shake the pot a bit to jiggle the contents around a bit. Check the mixture frequently and if any sugar starts to color on the sides of the pot, wipe it away with a wet pastry brush. As the pot is covered, steam within the pot will help prevent the sugar burning on the sides of the pot.
Once the sugar is boiling, uncover and simmer until the mixture turns a rich caramel color.
Remove the pot from the heat. Working quickly, add about half of the cream and stir quickly to incorporate. Be careful as the sugar will bubble vigorously and release a lot of steam. Only half the cream is added at this point so that the sugar stays hot enough to prevent hardening.
Once the first round of cream is incorporated, add the remaining cream and stir to combine. The caramel will now be quite stiff and may have lumps. Don't sweat it. Return the caramel to medium heat to soften it again, dissolving any lumps.
Add the butter and corn syrup. Stir until the butter is melted. Bring the caramel to a boil again. Once boiling remove from the heat and allow the mixture to cool to room temperature.
Before using, you may wish to reheat it to soften it again.