5-Minute Caramel Sauce

5-Minute Caramel Sauce

by Julie
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You only need five minutes to make this easy, delicious caramel sauce.  And no candy thermometer required!

My earliest memories of caramel are from McDonald’s.  I used to love getting the caramel sundae as a kid.  Didn’t happen often, which made it that much sweeter of an experience.  As I got older I moved on to chocolate.  But my love affair with caramel has been rekindled in recent years.  I often will choose it over chocolate.  Although, truth be told, I’d prefer them both together.

However, I often shy away from trying to make anything caramel because, often, a candy thermometer is required.  And, well, I just don’t have the patience.

When I stumbled upon this recipe with its 5 ingredients and its 5 minute promise of caramel sauce, I honestly didn’t hold out much hope.  I’ve tried some before and while they were decent, I’d hardly want my dessert to just taste “decent.”

This 5-Minute Caramel Sauce has won my heart, though.  It really is that fast, and it really is that good.  Serve it over the obvious choice: ice cream.  Drizzle it over some warm apple pie.  For a quick, less heavy dessert treat try drizzling it over sliced banana (warmed or not) topped with a “shmooooowwwwfttt” of Reddi Whip. (I believe I spelled that right…you know, the sound it makes coming out of the nozzle? LOL)  Oh, oh….over a shmooooowwwwfttt of Reddi Whip floating atop warm hot chocolate (see the pic below).  Anyway, the point is that it’s delicious.

5 minute caramel

A Word on Ingredients

Friends don’t let friends use margarine.  So, my friends, please use butter!  I always use salted butter, even when the recipe calls for unsalted, and I never have any problems.  I’m a little salty, I guess!

As for the brown sugar…I never buy it!  But I include it here as I know most people do.  I learned a trick years ago for making my own and I’ve never looked back.  Simply add 1 tablespoon of molasses for every cup of regular sugar.  That’s it.  I used to mix it up in advance and store it, but now I just make it as I go if I can.  In a recipe like this one, I simply add the molasses and sugar into the saucepan without mixing in advance.

Heavy cream.  Yes, you can use whole milk, but your result will not be as thick and it may separate in the jar.  Your best bet is to use heavy cream, but whole milk will do in a pinch.

While I do have imitation vanilla on hand, I prefer to use real pure vanilla extract in most of my cooking.  I really only keep imitation on hand if I need to make large batches of something for an event away from home.  Yes, I’m selfish and keep the “good stuff” for myself.

Salt.  You know what salt is.

So, make this yummy 5-Minute Caramel Sauce and then come back here and let me know how it went.  And also, let me know…what’s your favorite way to consume caramel?

5-Minute Caramel Sauce

You only need five minutes and five ingredients to make this easy, delicious caramel sauce. No candy thermometer required!
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Ingredients
  • 1/2 cup salted butter (1 stick)
  • 1 cup brown sugar (or 1 cup sugar + 1 Tbsp. molasses)
  • 2/3 cup heavy cream
  • 1 tsp. vanilla extract
  • 1/8 tsp. salt
Directions
Step 1
Melt the butter in a medium saucepan over medium-low heat.
Step 2
Add the brown sugar and stir in well. Continue to stir for 2 minutes.
Step 3
Whisk in the heavy cream and continue to stir for another 2 minutes. The sauce should be bubbling a bit, but not going crazy.
Step 4
Remove from heat. Add in vanilla and salt and stir well.
Step 5
Pour into a clean glass pint jar and allow to cool completely on the counter. It will thicken as it cools. Once cooled, screw on the lid and store in the fridge.

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