Salted Caramel Cream Sauce

I cannot make my Irish Apple Crumb Cake without also making my Salted Caramel Cream Sauce.  As good as the cake is alone, the sauce kicks it up into a whole new bracket.  I strongly recommend making your own caramel cream sauce over purchasing caramel sauce in the store.  The flavor of homemade caramel sauce made from real sugar is entirely different than caramel sauce made from corn syrup.  (And I challenge you to find caramel sauce in your regular grocery store that is not made using corn syrup!)

The first time you make caramel sauce is a bit intimidating.  One often hears stories of how fast caramelized sugar can burn, rendering an entire batch useless.  As long as you keep constant vigilance while making you caramel sauce, this is not an issue.  (Really.  I cannot stress enough the importance of constant vigilance when making this.  Seriously!  Do not look away for a second!)  Your reward will be a delicious, sweet, salty caramel sauce that tastes just like those lazy summer days of your childhood.

Salted Caramel Cream Sauce

Ingredients

1 cup white sugar (I use granulated cane sugar)

5 tablespoons butter, cut into small cubes

½ cup + 1 tbsp heavy whipping cream

1 pinch of sea salt to taste

Directions

1.    Place sugar into a deep saucepan over medium-high heat.

2.   Stir continuously until sugar melts completely.  (On my stove, this takes 15 – 20 minutes but may take a shorter time depending on your stove and the weight of your pan.)

3.   Once sugar has completely melted, continue to stir lightly until it turns deep amber. 

4.   Remove pan from heat and allow to sit for 20 – 30 seconds then add butter and whisk until combined.  Be careful because the mixture will bubble up!

5.   Slowly add heavy whipping cream and whisk until combined.  Be careful because the mixture may bubble up!

6.   If your caramel begins to solidify before the cream is completely incorporated, return pan to medium-high heat and carefully stir constantly until caramel and cream are mixed thoroughly.

7.   Sprinkle in sea salt and stir to combine.

8.   Transfer caramel cream sauce to a glass jar and set aside to cool completely BEFORE storing in a refrigerator.

9.   If caramel cream sauce is too thick after refrigeration, warm in a microwave in 10 to 15 second increments until it melts enough to drizzle.

10.               Drizzle on Irish Apple Crumb Cake or ice cream!