Quick Caramel Sauce

This is a quick caramel sauce that's perfect with ice cream or to drizzle over cakes, brownies or just about anything.

ingredients

1/2 cup butter (margarine is not recommended)
1 cup brown sugar
2/3 cup heavy cream (35%)
1 tsp. vanilla extract

method

Melt the butter in a small saucepan. Add the brown sugar and whisk and cook about 2 minutes. Whisk in the cream and cook, stirring until thoroughly blended - about 2 minutes more. Stir in the vanilla.

Use warm or refrigerate. Sauce will thicken in the refrigerate. Warm slightly to thin it out again.

Adapted from a Recipezaar recipe

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Classic Caramel Sauce

This is a classic caramel sauce where the sugar is boiled to a deep amber colour before the cream and butter are added. Make sure you cook it to a deep amber to get a nice, rich, caramely sauce.

ingredients

2 cups heavy cream (35%)
1 1/2 cups sugar
1/4 cup water
1/4 cup salted butter (or if you use unsalted butter, add a pinch of salt)

Warm the cream in a small saucepan over low to medium heat.

While it's warming, add the sugar and water to a large, heavy-bottomed pot over high heat. (Use a large pot as mixture will bubble up considerably when the cream is added later). Stir mixture just until the sugar dissolves, then leave it alone to boil until it reaches a deep amber colour. (You can swirl the pan gently but no stirring!).

Remove from heat and slowly and carefully add the cream, whisking it in (will bubble up!) Add the butter and whisk until smooth. Simmer until slightly reduced.

Makes 3 cups. Will keep in the fridge for at least two weeks.