My Sticky-Sweet Obsession

OK.  Please forgive the strangeness of this entry.  I realize it has nothing to do with nursing, or living in Australia, or even the on-going struggle with my oven.  (By the way, the score is now 3:2, and I’m in the lead!)  But I simply cannot help myself.  Last night, as I was standing over the stovetop, making caramel for a co-worker’s birthday cake, I had a minor revelation.  I was overcome by how much I truly enjoy making caramel.  Strange, right?  I’m not kidding, though.  I absolutely love everything about it.  Something about making caramel speaks to me.  (I know, I know… I am so weird!)  I love that it starts with nothing more than sugar and water.  I love standing watch over the two elements as they dissolve into each other, eventually morphing into a bubbly, viscous concoction.  It’s entrancing.  I doubly love that it takes more than technical skill to make a good caramel.  It requires a feel for the entire process, an instinct for the right moment to add the cream.  Too soon and the caramel will be runny, lacking depth of flavor.   Too long and it will be nothing more than scorched mess stuck to the bottom of a saucepan.  But when done right, it transforms into a smooth, sweet, silky caramel sauce.  It has to be one of the most satisfying processes ever.  Anyway, see below for my favorite caramel recipe if you’re interested testing my hypothesis.

Caramel Sauce

½ cup water

2 TBS light corn syrup or honey**

1 cup sugar

1 cup heavy cream

1/8 tsp salt

½ tsp vanilla extract

2 TBS unsalted butter

Place water, corn syrup (or honey), and sugar in a saucepan and bring to a boil over high heat.  Do not stir!  Brush down and sugar crystals that may adhere to the side of the pan with water.

Boil until the mixture is thick and caramel colored – about the color of straw.

Reduce the heat to medium and continue to cook 1-2 minutes until the color of deep amber.

Add the cream and salt.  The mixture will seize and bubble up.  Keep the burner at medium and continue stirring until the sugar is incorporated again and the sauce is smooth.

Remove the heat and add the vanilla and butter.

Cool and refrigerate.

**I added 2 TBS of raw, unprocessed wildflower honey for this last batch and it was AMAZING!  The unique honey flavor really came out, making this caramel wonderfully different.