Flash in the Pan

I had wanted to include this recipe in my new cookbook, The Complete Idiot's Guide to Pizza and Panini, but it's another one I had to cut because of length. (So went the dessert pizza and panini chapters.)

Ingredients

Yield: 4 cups
Prep time: 15 minutes
Cook time: 25 minutes

3 cups sugar
2/3 cup water
1 cup heavy cream
1 tsp. vanilla extract (optional)

Instructions

1. In a medium saucepan over high heat, add sugar and then water. Do not stir while you let sugar totally dissolve. Periodically dip a pastry brush into cold water and brush the inside of the pan. Do not let any crystals form on the sides of the pan.


2. When sugar turns dark amber, put a whisk into the pan and carefully and slowly add cream. Mixture will boil furiously and form a mass. Gently move the whisk and everything will eventually dissolve into a smooth liquid. Add vanilla extract (if using) at this point. Be careful, because it's absurdly easy to overcook this and wind up with a mass of burnt smelling stuff.


3. Let caramel cool some and pour into a heat-proof container. (A mason jar has done well by me.)

I usually always add the "optional" ingredients. In this case, though, I never use the vanilla extract because my family likes the strong caramel flavor. However, if you like vanilla caramel candies, you might want to try it with the extract.

Labels: caramel, recipe, sauce