Homemade Caramel Sauce Recipe (2024)

FAQs

Can I use milk instead of heavy cream for caramel? ›

Try milk instead.

If you don't want to make a special trip to the store, you can use whole milk with an extra tablespoon of butter in place of the heavy cream. It may not be quite as thick, but it will work in a pinch!

Using a heavy-bottomed sauce pan, add ¼ to ⅓ of a cup of water to every cup of sugar in your recipe and heat over medium-high heat. You can stir the pan to dissolve the sugar, but once the mixture comes to a boil, stop stirring: the agitation can promote crystallization, which will result in grainy caramel.

Swirl, don't stir: While slow, deliberate stirring will help the sugar dissolve evenly, you want to stop stirring once it has fully melted.

This caramel is made by simply boiling the sweetened condensed milk for several hours in the can. As heat is applied, the sugar naturally caramelizes. Because the milk is boiled inside its can, there's no need to worry about it becoming too thick or scorched as the moisture cannot evaporate.

Heat the cream first before adding to the caramelized sugar.

Adding cold cream to the very hot caramel will cause it to seize and clump.

Basic caramel has sugar, milk, and butter in it, and is then brought up to a high temperature until it all thickens up. By starting with condensed milk, we already have milk and sugar combined and it is already partially thickened, so caramel is made more quickly.

Explanation: The typical formula for caramels is C24H36O18 , so the elements of water have been removed from the sucrose.

There are two basic methods of making caramel – wet and dry; the basic difference between the two methods being water. Essentially both methods are heating sugar, then adding fat (butter and cream, typically); but the wet uses water to dissolve the sugar faster.

The acidic nature of lemon juice prevents the formation of sugar crystals. Just a small squeeze of lemon juice added to the sugar as it melts can make a big difference in the outcome of your caramel.

Why is my homemade caramel not hardening? ›

If caramels are too soft, that means the temperature didn't get high enough. Again place the caramel back into a sauce pan with a couple of tablespoons of water and heat to 244°F. If you don't have a candy thermometer, you can test with a cold water test.

Add more sugar to the sauce.

Most caramel sauces are made by caramelizing sugar and adding milk and a little salt. If you increase the amount of sugar in the recipe you'll end up with a thicker caramel. Try increasing the sugar by about 1/3.

Keep in mind that the caramel will thicken significantly once cool. Likewise, if the caramel is too thick, thin by stirring a tablespoon or two of heavy cream. To store, keep refrigerated in an air-tight container.

The idea is to lower the PH. you can also use a small pinch of citric acid or cream of tartar if you have. lemon juice won't work as it will turn bitter as the sugar cooks. Alternatively, an invert sugar such as corn syrup or golden syrup will work beautifully.

If caramels are too soft, that means the temperature didn't get high enough.

Refrigerate until cooled and hardened. (Best if you refrigerate them overnight, or for several hours. They will be easier to cut and wrap). The caramel will seem hard in the fridge after they're set, but they should be soft at room temperature.