SALTED CARAMEL SAUCE. (it's as good as it sounds)

 If you're reading this as work- this is one of those recipes that is going to make you HATE ME.

Especially if you're on a summer diet/ doing whole30 / aren't able to immediately go home an make 10 batches of this.

This salted caramel sauce is good on anything. Ice cream, cupcakes, pie, apple slices, or hell- just all by itself. It's pretty easy to make and fairly difficult to mess up, so make some, keep it in your fridge at all times, and thank me later.

What you'll need to make it happen:

1 cup granulated sugar

1/4 cup water- room temperature

1/2 cup heavy whipping cream

1 stick unsalted OR salted butter

1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract

either:

two pinches kosher or sea salt

OR  1/4 teaspoon iodized salt.

How to make it happen:

- as i've mentioned before- when working with caramel you do have to pay attention. so set aside your phone/computer/iPad/mirror for 15 minutes and make this correctly the first time, ya dig?-

1. Combine your water and sugar in a heavy bottom sauce pan and stir to combine. It'll seem too thick- it's not!

2. Place the pan over medium heat so the sugar begins to slowly dissolve. This will take about 5 minutes. Resist your urge to stir it constantly and only give the pan a swirl every minute or so. 

3. Slowly raise the heat a notch at a time to medium high, lightly swirling the pan every minute or so for 7 minutes. Keep a close eye on it after the 5th minute or so- you'll want to get your butter ready to put in once the mixture is a LIGHT amber color. Too dark and it'll burn! 

4. Cube your room temp butter and add it to the sugar mixture- it'll sizzle a bit because well.. you're adding something cooler to a really hot liquid. Don't worry! It should happen that way! Stir the mixture VERY carefully, partially incorporating the butter. Be super careful not to whip the mixture up on the sides of the pan, or the sugar will crystalize, get back in your mixture, and ruin the whole batch. Sadness.

5. Once melted, take your pan off the heat and add your vanilla and heavy cream. Using a whisk, LIGHTLY stir it until it is a cohesive, very liquid caramel. Pour quickly into a clean pan or bowl to avoid any of the uncooked sugar. 

6. In the new bowl, whisk in your salt, taste- add more if you'd like! Put it aside to cool for a bit. (yes, you're allowed to go back on instagram at this point in the process. snap a pic and tag me, @lpodlich so I can see your sweet caramel!)

7. After this, keep it refrigerated .. or eat it all in one sitting. It'll yield about 1 1/2 cups- so plenty for you and your favorite friends.

 SO good while still warm on ice cream!

 It's messy- but worth it!

 This will totally be my new go-to little gift to bring to dinner parties, or other get togethers!

Throw it in a cute mason jar with twine and a sweet tag and you'll be everyone's favorite for sure :)

What would you slather this caramel on?

I highly recommend chocolate ice cream. Just sayin'

xo, lp