There are endless possibilities with caramel sauce: 
You will want a jar on hand at all TIMES.
It’s a perfect topping on ice cream, cake, cookies, pie, apples, and well just about anything you can dunk into it.
If you love salted caramel (like me) just add salt and viola….
you have the coveted TRENDY salted caramel.
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I myself flounder with liking whats trendy.
Sometimes I like it, sometimes I don’t.
I don’t like that the 80’s high waited jeans are coming back in style,
but I do like when wide legged pants are back in.
I don’t like pants hanging off kids @$$es but like the new short haircut on boys with it long on top.
But if you ask your kids where the haircut came from and they tell you it’s a singer and you look it up,
well if you are like me, you probably won’t like the song or video that has 575,548,095 on youtube!
Sometimes trendy is over-rated.
Like reality TV
I’m over it and I have been ever since The Real World.
I’d like to see something new on TV, really I would Fall is almost upon us and I’m hoping there will be some new show for me to like.
Wether you like your caramel, the trendy salted way or the good old fashioned not to salty way, this really is a must make!
You wouldn’t want there to be a big bowl of desert and no caramel sauce would you?
Not me!
- ¼ cup heavy cream
- ¼ cup milk
- 1 cup brown sugar
- ¼ cup butter
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- place heavy cream, milk, sugar and butter into medium saucepan,
- heat on medium stirring so it won't burn.
- Cook until it's thick and coats the back of a spoon about 5 minutes
- add in vanilla and salt
- heat for another minute to two until thickens
- remove from stove
- store in airtight jar in fridge
- If you want salted caramel add an additional teaspoon of salt after it's cooked.
I drizzled some of the caramel sauce over a brand new recipe, I have coming up soon… Doesn’t it look good?
The rest, well I’ve pretty much been eating it by the spoonful 🙂
*See I used a smiley, that’s trendy and well I’m happy and I like smileys!
Georgia says
Looks great. In step four should that say add “vanilla” and salt? Step 1 and 4 both read add butter.
Diane says
thanks for catching that, yes…#4 add vanilla and salt. I adjusted the recipe to reflect the change.
Angel says
Looks delish! Any idea how long this will keep in the fridge? Thanks!
Diane says
It will keep a month in the fridge. If you haven’t devoured it by then 🙂
Jacie says
Curious do you think I would be able to hot water bath this to seal and keep longer on the shelf and give away for gifts at Christmas? Love this recipe! Thanks for sharing!
Diane says
I wish I knew more about canning to answer your question, but if you have canned before…I’m sure with a little help from Google you’ll be able to find that info out. Sorry I couldn’t be more help.
Tait says
I’ve been stirring & stirring and it’s still very thin. Hasn’t thickened up and it’s been way over 5 minutes. Any clues?
Thanks.
Diane says
It will thicken as it cools, does it coat the back of the spoon when you dip a spoon in and lift it out? Then it’s done.
Tait says
Thanks. It did thicken. But now there is another problem. As it cooled after using it, it got kinda crystallized. I reheated to use again and it wasn’t a nice smooth creamy texture. Any clues on that?
Diane says
I’m not sure, there are a combination of things that cause crystallization. I wish I could be more helpful, I haven’t had my caramel crystalize before. I found some info on crystallization that may help, but I’ve never had to use those tips yet http://latimesblogs.latimes.com/dailydish/2011/10/test-kitchen-tips-keeping-cooked-sugar-from-crystalizing.html some tips won’t be the same as this caramel sauce has dairy in it.
Annie @ Annie's Noms says
I’d never made caramel before, so was looking for an easy recipe when I came across yours – literally just made this and it’s divine!! Turned out perfectly, thanks so much for the recipe! 🙂
Diane says
I’m so glad it all worked out well, great way to start the day 🙂
Pamela Grove says
I just came across your Apple Cake recipe and followed the link to this recipe for caramel sauce. It looks like one I’d like to make. HOWEVER, after a miserable experience TRYING to eat one of my all time very favorite things in the culinary world ever since I was a small wee thing, about two summers ago, after taking a big bite of a beautiful, luscious, delicious caramel apple at our small town yearly carnival, I was socked with a REVOLTING hit of INTENSE salt. Now I normally like the combination of salty and sweet together. I used to be one of those kids at a birthday party would eat the little square of Neapolitan ice cream with my potato chips.
However, this caramel apple was SO salty it almost made me gag. I’m not sure if the person somehow thought THIS was what “salty” caramel was suppose to be or if it was just an accidental infusion of masses of salt into the recipe by accident that was never suppose to be there. I’ll never find out but it sure did a number on me. So even this tiniest amount of 1/8 teaspoon makes me want to ask. (and I think I know the answer to this but I need to doublecheck). Is this salt added into the recipe as the standard, normal “flavor enhancer” as it is often added into sweets…or…will this tiny amount make this into “salted caramel”? I thought a salted caramel was basically a normal caramel with a light sprinkling of a nice sea salt sprinkled over the finished caramel item. Should I leave in the salt or take it out?
Diane says
since you have an eversion to salt in sweets, I would suggest you make it with no salt. This caramel is regular caramel. There is a note about making it “salted caramel” If after you make it you decide it’s overly sweet add a small amount of salt (1/8 teaspoon to start) and try it to see if you like it, then add more if needed.