Sandra This delicious Bobby Flay Salted Caramel Sauce is the perfect sweet and salty addition to your favorite desserts. With its rich, velvety texture, it’s an easy way to elevate ice cream, cakes, or even a simple spoonful of fruit. Made with just a few pantry staples, this sauce is both quick and irresistible, ready in about 20 minutes.
Bobby Flay Salted Caramel Sauce Ingredients
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- ½ cup water
- ½ cup heavy cream
- 2 tablespoons unsalted butter, at room temperature
- ¾ teaspoon kosher salt, or to taste
How To Make Bobby Flay Salted Caramel Sauce
- Make the Caramel: In a medium, heavy-bottomed saucepan, combine the sugar and the cold water. Swirl the pan to moisten the sugar, but do not stir. Place over medium-high heat.
- Cook the Caramel: Cook, without stirring, for 10 to 12 minutes. Watch it closely as it bubbles. It is ready when the sugar has dissolved and the mixture has turned a rich, golden amber color.
- Add the Cream: Meanwhile, gently heat the heavy cream in a small saucepan or in the microwave until it is warm. Once the caramel is ready, immediately remove it from the heat and slowly and carefully whisk in the warm cream. The mixture will bubble up violently at first.
- Finish the Sauce: Continue to whisk the mixture until it is smooth. Return the pan to a low heat and simmer for another 2 to 3 minutes, until the sauce is completely smooth and slightly thickened.
- Add Butter and Salt: Remove the pan from the heat and whisk in the butter and the salt until fully incorporated and the sauce is glossy and velvety. Serve warm.
Recipe Tips
- How to get a perfect, non-grainy caramel? The most important secret is to not stir the sugar and water as it cooks. Stirring can cause sugar crystals to form on the side of the pan, which can lead to a grainy, crystallized sauce. Just let it cook, swirling the pan gently if you see any hot spots.
- Why use warm cream? This is a crucial safety and texture tip. Adding cold cream to scorching hot caramel will cause the sugar to seize into a hard lump and can create a dangerous, explosive bubbling. Using warm cream allows the two liquids to combine smoothly and safely.
- Can I make this ahead of time? Absolutely! This sauce is a perfect make-ahead condiment. Let it cool completely and store it in an airtight jar in the refrigerator.
- How do I get a silky, not greasy, sauce? The key is to add the butter off the heat at the very end. Whisking in the room-temperature butter as the final step emulsifies it into the sauce, creating a rich, velvety texture rather than an oily layer on top.
What To Serve With Salted Caramel Sauce
This is an incredibly versatile dessert sauce. It is the perfect topping for:
- A simple scoop of vanilla or coffee ice cream.
- A slice of cheesecake, apple pie, or a rich chocolate cake.
- Drizzled over brownies or blondies.
- As a dip for fresh apple slices.
- Stirred into your morning coffee or latte.
How To Store Salted Caramel Sauce
- Refrigerate: Let the sauce cool completely, then store it in an airtight jar or container in the refrigerator. It will keep well for up to one month.
- Reheat: The caramel will become very thick and firm in the refrigerator. To reheat, you can microwave it in short 15-20 second bursts, stirring in between, or gently warm it in a saucepan over low heat until it is smooth and pourable again.
Salted Caramel Sauce Nutrition Facts
- Serving: 2 tablespoons
- Calories: 180 kcal
- Carbohydrates: 25g
- Protein: 0g
- Fat: 9g
- Saturated Fat: 6g
- Sodium: 250mg
Nutrition information is estimated and may vary based on ingredients and cooking methods used.
FAQs
This almost always happens if the sugar mixture was stirred during the initial cooking phase, or if there was a stray sugar crystal on the side of the pan. Use a wet pastry brush to wipe down the sides of the pan as it cooks to prevent this.
Yes! This recipe is perfect for making by eye. You don’t need a candy thermometer. The visual cue is all you need: watch for the mixture to turn a beautiful, deep golden-amber color, like an old copper penny.
Absolutely. A teaspoon of pure vanilla extract whisked in at the very end with the butter and salt is a classic and delicious addition.
Try More Recipes:
- Bobby Flay Green Chile Sauce Recipe
- Bobby Flay Chimichurri Sauce Recipe
- Bobby Flay Pork Chops and Applesauce Recipe
Bobby Flay Salted Caramel Sauce Recipe
Description
A simple, foolproof method for a rich, velvety, and perfectly balanced sweet and salty caramel sauce, perfect for drizzling over any dessert.
Ingredients
Instructions
- In a heavy-bottomed saucepan, combine the sugar and water. Cook over medium-high heat, without stirring, for 10-12 minutes until it turns a deep amber color.
- Meanwhile, gently warm the heavy cream in a separate small pan or in the microwave.
- Once the caramel reaches the right color, remove it from the heat and slowly and carefully whisk in the warm cream until smooth.
- Return to a low heat and simmer for 1-2 minutes.
- Remove from the heat again and whisk in the butter and salt until completely incorporated.
- Serve warm, or let it cool and store in an airtight jar in the refrigerator.
Notes
- Don’t Stir the Sugar: The most important tip for this recipe is to not stir the sugar and water as it cooks. Simply swirl the pan if needed to ensure even cooking. This is the secret to preventing crystallization.
- Use Warm Cream: Never add cold cream to hot caramel. Warming the cream first is a crucial safety step that also ensures a smooth, non-lumpy sauce.
- Finish Off the Heat: For the best, most velvety texture, always whisk in the butter and salt at the very end, after the pan has been removed from the heat.
- Watch the Color: Caramel can go from perfect to burnt in a matter of seconds. As soon as it reaches a color like a copper penny, take it off the heat. It will continue to darken slightly from the residual heat.
