Absolutely nothing beats a sundae topped with homemade caramel ice cream topping. The thick, buttery caramel topping is delicious on and in so many things! Drizzle it on apple pie, pound cake, or brownies. Dip pretzels or apple slices in it, or eat it with a spoon!
Nothing is better than homemade caramel topping because everything in it is natural, and you make it with everyday pantry ingredients. You can make it whenever you hanker for this buttery, sweet, golden delight.
Here is all you need to start: sugar, butter, vanilla, heavy cream, a pinch of salt, and some water! You will need patience, so be sure to have some when you begin. That can be the hard part for someone like me!
Watching plain granulated sugar caramelize as you cook it is so much fun! Begin by putting one cup of sugar and one-fourth cup of water in a pan with a heavy bottom. Set the pan on a stove burner, set it on medium, and stir it a little to get things started and evenly distributed in the pan.
At first, the mixture will be cloudy, but as it heats for 3 three or four minutes, the liquid will get clear, bubble, and boil. At this point, RESIST ANY URGE TO STIR, as this makes sugar crystals form.
Instead, swirl the pan gently and use a silicone spatula to gently brush any sugar crystals down from the side of the pan. You can also buy silicone spatulas at your favorite kitchen store or mass merchandiser. Once you have one, you'll wonder how you ever cooked without it!
Continue swirling and cooking and watch in amazement while the mixture gets thicker and turns a gorgeous honey-amber color. It is almost magical.
This part of the process requires patience because it can take anywhere from eight to twelve minutes. You need to keep swirling the sauce, and you cannot leave the stove. You must also watch closely so the mixture doesn't get too dark and burn.
When the caramel becomes this color, carefully whisk in the butter pats and keep whisking until they are all melted.
Remove the pan from the stove and slowly, carefully whisk in the cream until it's all blended. Finally, whisk in the vanilla and salt. To make salted caramel, increase the salt to about one-half teaspoon. Both vanilla and a small amount of salt enhance the flavor of the caramel.
Let it cool in the pan for about ten minutes, then pour it into a jar with a lid. You can also make yourself a caramel sundae while it's warm!
The caramel topping contains cream and butter, so it must be kept refrigerated in a jar with a tight lid. When it's chilled, the caramel will thicken and harden. Reheat it in the microwave in short bursts, stirring between bursts, until it is the desired consistency.
If you put it in a secret corner of the refrigerator where only you can find it, it will last three weeks. Don't bank on it if your kids know where to find it. You can also freeze the topping for two or three months.
Nothing is more welcome than a jar of homemade caramel ice cream topping! So many adorable jars are available now, which makes the gift even more "gifty," if you know what I mean!
Before we know it, we'll be thinking about the holiday season and trying to create unique gifts for special people. Who wouldn't love a jar of homemade caramel topping?
This is a recipe for a thick, rich, buttery caramel topping you can make with simple pantry ingredients and some patience.
Here are two more ice cream treats our family loves: Chocolate Magic Shell and Peanut Buster Parfait Dessert. Watch for more because there's still a lot of summer left to enjoy!
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Love, GB (Betty Streff)
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