Tasty Tuesday ~ Caramel Sauce

I had thought about making my own caramel sauce for the last couple of years, but I was always too intimidated to try it.  I was making a dessert for my wedding anniversary last week and it called for caramel.  The recipe said to melt a bag of caramels and mix with evaporated milk to make a caramel sauce.  I decided this was my chance to attempt homemade caramel sauce!  I can be crazy like that.

I looked at several recipes and then ended up with my own measurements.  This makes a little thicker sauce, close to the consistency of melted caramels.

Simple ingredients!

The sugar turns to crystals and then starts to melt.

Carmelized sugar.

All mixed together!

The finished product!

I need to *confess* that I burnt the first batch!  And I almost ruined the second batch!  I'll give you the recipe and then some helpful tips.

Caramel Sauce

1 cup granulated sugar
4 tablespoons butter
3/4 cup heavy cream
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract

Put sugar in large (2-3 quart because it will foam up) saucepan with a heavy bottom.  Over medium-high heat, stir sugar with wooden spoon or whisk until it begins to clump in crystals, then stir constantly.  Keep stirring until sugar melts completely and has a *caramel* color.  Add butter (some foaming will occur) and stir constantly with whisk until butter melts.  Remove pan from heat.  Pour cream slowly in pan while stirring briskly with whisk - mixture will foam up.  Keep stirring until caramel is smooth.  Add vanilla extract and stir.  Pour caramel in glass jar to cool.  After cooling, refrigerate.  Can be kept in refrigerator 2 weeks and heated up to use as necessary.

Tips:
~ Have all ingredients measured out and ready to go - no time for leaving the stove!
~ Wear hot pads!  When the mixture foams up, it's very hot and you should protect your hands/arms.
~ If your carmelized sugar mixture smells burnt or like strong molasses, don't add your butter & cream 'cause you already burnt the sugar and nothing will fix it.  Ask me how I know.  :)
~ Don't let the melting sugar get too dark - it changes from carmelized to burnt really fast!
~ Practice with a half batch to get the hang of it.
~ Don't use a skimpy pan or the bottom will get too hot and your sugar will be more likely to burn.
~ If the mixture clumps when adding cream, put it back on heat and keep stirring until smooth.
~ If you want a less thick caramel sauce, you can try increasing the butter and/or cream.

Is that helpful?  Or too confusing?  Once you try it a couple of times, you start to get a feel for it.  Here are a couple of helpful links with more info on making caramel sauce:

http://simplyrecipes.com/recipes/caramel_sauce/
http://video.about.com/americanfood/Easy-Caramel-Sauce.htm 

Have you made your own caramel sauce?  Let me know if you give it a try!  It's soooo delicious!  You'll have to stop back here for CHOCOLATE Friday to see what I used this caramel sauce for!

I linked up to Tasty Tuesday at Balancing Beauty and Bedlam today!  Stop by for all sorts of yummy recipes!

Have a tasty day friends!  :)