By ERIN TURNER
Every year I like to find a homemade gift idea which I can use as gifts for friends, family and the kids’ teachers. And since I’m all about food, usually this gift is some sort of food item. I scored big with my coffee friends one year when I made homemade French Vanilla Creamer . Things like this always seem to taste better when they are homemade using fresh, whole ingredients.
This year I am so excited to be making up batches of Homemade Caramel Sauce. Can you say, “Heavenly”?! I’m not kidding…this stuff is out of this world! And here’s my confession, I’m not always a huge caramel fan. I can’t put my finger on it, but I could take it or leave it….and more often I do leave it. The commercial substance has a lesser quality and leaves a chemical tin taste in my mouth. But this homemade version is silky, smooth, creamy and just the right sweetness. This is what caramel is supposed to taste like!
This recipe simplifies the process of making it by eliminating the need to caramelize the granulated sugar. It simply uses brown sugar instead. So, 5 ingredients and 5 minutes? Oh yeah, I’m liking this already. Plus, it makes almost a quart of sauce. I plan on using half pint and pint jars to give as gifts. I’m sure I’ll get a few of those jars back with a subtle hint that it needs to be refilled.
The uses of this caramel sauce are unending. I already used it over my Pumpkin-Pecan Cheesecake. It took this dessert from outstanding to dazzling with a simple drizzle of sauce. My family can’t wait to try it on my mother-in-law’s homemade vanilla ice cream which she makes every Christmas. The natural pairing of apples and caramel, make this sauce a must during the fall and Halloween. It can be drizzled on any boring, old dessert to create a special, unforgettable dessert. I’m also going to try a spoonful of it stirred into my morning coffee. My youngest son and I dipped our Nilla Wafer cookies in the sauce the other day and barely could stop because it was sooo yummy!
If you are looking for a gift which will be greatly appreciated and readily consumed, check out this recipe and dive in. It’s simple, quick, frugal and so scrumptious! And don’t forget to leave some out for Santa on Christmas eve…you’ll be at the top of his list for sure!
Homemade Caramel Sauce
Ingredients
- 1/2 cup (1 stick) salted butter
- 1 cup brown sugar
- 2/3 cup heavy cream
- 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract (I used my homemade vanilla extract!)
- 1/8 teaspoon salt (a nice flaky sea salt works perfect)
Directions
In a medium saucepan set over medium-low to medium heat, melt butter (don’t substitute! Use the real thing!). Mix in brown sugar and stir for 2 minutes. Mix in heavy cream and stir for 2 more minutes. Remove pan from heat and stir in vanilla and salt until well incorporated. Pour hot caramel sauce in a jar and allow to cool (it will go from a thin consistency to a thicker sauce as it cools) completely. Store in the refrigerator for up to a month.
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Erin Eisenman-Turner is proud to be a native Missoulian. Along with her husband and three sons, they raise chickens, pigs, rabbits, and vegetables at Turner Family Farms in the Orchard Homes area. When the farm chores are done, the coupons clipped, and the blog written, you can find Erin exploring Montana, collecting antiques, and trying to maintain a well-run, happy, and organized home for her family.
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