If you’re looking for a quick homemade gift for someone, this easy caramel sauce is the one to make. My girlfriend shared this recipe with me, which I think she found at Averie Cooks. The original recipe was for Salted Caramel but I decided to make mine a Maple Caramel Sauce. There are so many different variations you can make (salted caramel, butterscotch caramel, maple, French vanilla, plain caramel sauce (affiliate links)) it all depends on the type of extract you can get your hands on.
I originally made a few small jars of this maple caramel sauce using the 125 ml mason jars. I wasn’t sure if people would even like it. Well, my first mistake was thinking people would not like this easy caramel sauce. My second mistake was only using the 125 ml jars. BIG MISTAKE. After gifting a pair of these jars filled with my easy caramel sauce, I received a text message days later telling me they didn’t even make it onto apple pie or ice cream. The two of them had sat on the couch and ate the caramel sauce straight out of the jar with a spoon. Can a girl get a bigger complement??
Needless to say, I used 250 ml mason jars(affiliate link) for the following 2 batches of caramel sauce I made.
My cousin had an ice cream sundae night for her kids where this easy caramel sauce was the star of the evening. I also received a text message in the middle of the night from my girlfriend’s husband telling me I needed to come for a visit and bring some more caramel sauce. I’m thinking he had a few too many drinks but I wasn’t about to call him out on drunk texting me. Instead I told him we were heading his way in a few weeks and I would be sure to bring a supply.
Another girlfriend of mine came up with the brilliant idea to use the caramel sauce in her coffee as a sweetener. I’m thinking she must be running out too.
Easy Caramel Sauce
Ingredients
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- 1/4 cup water
- 1 tsp corn syrup
- 1/2 cup whipping cream
- 1 tbsp maple imitation extract
Instructions
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Make sure you have all your ingredients and tools ready and close by.
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Bring the sugar, water and corn syrup to a boil over high heat in a large saucepan. Whisk the mixture until the sugar is completely dissolved.
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Continue to boil the mixture until it turns a deep caramel color. Once the sugar mixture starts to change color, it deepens in color quickly so watch the mixture closely.
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Swirl the pan gently to stir, otherwise just let it boil. You can use a silicone pastry brush dipped in water to reduce the crystallization that occurs along the edges of the mixture.
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When the sugar mixture turns the deep caramel color, reduce heat to low and slowly add the cream to the hot mixture. Whisk the cream in quickly. Be careful when you whisk the mixture, as it will bubble up and nearly double in size for a few seconds. Add in the extract. The mixture will bubble up again. Continue to whisk until the sauce is smooth and well combined. Allow it to boil for an additional minute to thicken up.
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Remove the pot from the heat and allow it to cool for a few minutes.
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Pour the caramel into mason jars and store airtight for up to 1 month at room temperature. Store in the fridge once the jar is opened.
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Note: DO NOT make more than two batches of this recipe at a time as the cream cools the mixture too much to form a thick sauce.
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Caramelizing sugar is such a fun thing to do in the kitchen! Mm, I haven’t tried using maple imitation extract. Loved the video you’ve put up, by the way!
Thanks Cynthia! There are so many flavours of extract I want to experiment with.
Sounds fantastic!