Caramel Sauce

Caramel sauce is a sweet and versatile condiment that can enrich desserts and spoon sweets. Here is the recipe for the classic caramel sauce with an Italian twist:

Ingredients

• 200 g of granulated sugar
• 90 g of butter, preferably of excellent quality
• 120 ml of fresh cream
• A pinch of salt (optional, but recommended to balance the sweetness)
• 1 teaspoon of natural vanilla extract (optional for extra aroma)

Preparation

1. In a thick-bottomed saucepan, dissolve the sugar over medium heat, stirring constantly with a whisk until it has completely melted and reached a golden amber color. Be careful not to burn the sugar, as this would give the sauce a bitter taste.
2. Add the butter in pieces and stir quickly, because the sugar is very hot and might solidify when you add the butter. Continue stirring until the butter has completely melted.
3. Slowly pour in the cream while continuing to stir. The mixture will foam up when you add the cream, so be careful and proceed with caution.
4. Let the sauce simmer for a couple of minutes until it reaches the desired thickness, then remove from the heat.
5. Add a pinch of salt and, if desired, vanilla extract to further flavor the sauce.
6. Let the caramel sauce cool before using it. It will thicken further as it cools.

This sauce is perfect for accompanying ice creams, cakes, fresh fruit, or even to be mixed with coffee for a caramel-flavored coffee. If you like a touch of Italian flavor, you can add a little liqueur, such as Frangelico or Amaretto, at the end of the cooking process for a somewhat sophisticated variant.

Fun Fact

Although widely used in desserts around the world, caramel sauce has its origins in Europe, and the version with salt, known as “caramel au beurre salé,” is particularly appreciated in France, where coastal regions have a long tradition of producing salted butter.