I love caramel in any form, but I wanted to create a caramel sauce that was “drizzle” in consistency: viscous but wouldn’t seize or too dense when cold, but not runny or watery at room temperature or warmed. 

Initially tucked at the bottom of my salted caramel apple crunch jars, it was the “reward” for all of the “hard work” spooning down through layers of fresh whipped cream, cinnamon streusel crumble, and spiced apple pie filling. Generally, this is the perfect sauce over pies, apples, or spooned straight from the jar.

Salted Caramel Drizzle

Yields About 48 oz. |  Prep Time :35  | Total Cook Time: :35

INGREDIENTS

• 4 oz. (1 stick, ¼ pound) unsalted butter
• 3½ cups granulated sugar
• 2 tbsp. light corn syrup
• 1½ cup heavy cream
• ¼ cup whole milk
• ¼ tsp. table salt
• 2 tbsp. coarse sea salt
• ½ tsp. vanilla extract
• ½ cup water

EQUIPMENT

• medium stock pot
• 32 oz. storage (jars, bottles, etc.)
• long wooden spoon
• oven mit

DIRECTIONS

1. In large saucepan or stock pot, melt butter on medium-low heat.
2. Add sugar, water, table salt, vanilla, and corn syrup.
3. Stir until sugar dissolves, scraping down sides. The corn syrup is an “invert sugar” and will prevent the caramel from seizing, but try not to allow the sugar to distill along the sides of the pot.
4. Turn heat to medium / medium-high so the mixture comes to a low bubble. Do not let the mixture foam up and bubble too high.  
5. Stir occasionally until the mixture turns deep brown and just begins to smoke. This takes approximately 30 – 40 minutes. The best way to gauge color is to spoon up and allow to drizzle back into the pot. Caramel is, at its essence, burnt liquified sugar, so you want a deep copper color. Don’t overcook it, however, as it will taste bitter if overdone.
6. Remove from the burner and add the heavy cream. WARNING! WEAR AN OVEN MITT while adding the cream. When the cold cream hits the very hot caramel, it will “spit and spatter” because of the high temperature differential and it will hurt.
7. Once the mixture settles (about 5 – 10 seconds), stir in the cream and coarse sea salt.
8. Allow to cool before eating. Refrigerate or freeze for later.
9. To heat cold or frozen caramel, either sit in warm water bath or microwave in small increments of time (20 – 30 seconds), stirring frequently. Add a bit of half-and-half or whole milk to thin or smooth out the sauce when rewarming.