Description
French Provençal caramel sauce combines silky smooth ingredients with classic Mediterranean techniques. Drizzled over desserts or mixed into coffee, this sauce offers rich, indulgent flavor for passionate cooks who crave authentic culinary experiences.
Ingredients
Scale
- 1 cup (200 grams) granulated sugar
- ¼ cup (60 milliliters/2 fl oz) water
- 6 tablespoons (85 grams/3 oz) unsalted butter, cut into pieces
- ½ cup (120 milliliters/4 fl oz) heavy cream
- 1 tsp (5 milliliters) vanilla
- 1 pinch salt
Instructions
- Sugar Preparation: Combine granulated sugar and water in a heavy-bottomed saucepan, distributing evenly across the bottom surface.
- Heating Process: Place pan over medium heat, allowing sugar mixture to transform from cloudy to translucent, developing small bubbles without excessive stirring. Gently swirl the pan periodically to promote uniform heating and prevent sugar crystal formation.
- Caramelization Stage: Cook until syrup turns rich golden-honey color, maintaining careful watch to prevent burning. This typically requires 8-12 minutes of attentive monitoring.
- Butter Integration: Remove pan from heat and introduce cold butter, whisking vigorously to create a smooth emulsion. Be prepared for intense bubbling during this reaction.
- Cream Incorporation: Gradually stream cold cream into the caramel, continuously whisking to thoroughly integrate and prevent separation. Add vanilla extract and a sprinkle of salt, stirring until the mixture achieves a seamless, silky consistency.
- Cooling and Storage: Allow caramel to rest in the pan for 10 minutes, enabling slight cooling and texture refinement. Transfer the sauce into a clean glass container with a secure lid, permitting complete cooling at room temperature. The sauce will naturally thicken as it reaches ambient temperature.
Notes
- Watch Sugar Carefully: Monitor the sugar transformation closely to prevent burning, as caramelization happens quickly and can turn bitter in seconds.
- Swirl, Don’t Stir: Gently swirl the pan instead of stirring to ensure even heating and prevent sugar crystal formation, which can make the sauce grainy.
- Safety First: Use a long-handled whisk and wear protective mitts when adding cold butter and cream, as the mixture will bubble violently and can cause potential burns.
- Storage Tip: Refrigerate the cooled caramel sauce for up to two weeks in an airtight container, gently reheating in short microwave bursts or a warm water bath before serving.
- Prep Time: 10min
- Cook Time: 15min
- Category: Desserts, Snacks, Drinks
- Method: Simmering
- Cuisine: French
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 9
- Calories: 120
- Sugar: 24 g
- Sodium: 5 mg
- Fat: 7 g
- Saturated Fat: 4 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 3 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 14 g
- Fiber: 0 g
- Protein: 0 g
- Cholesterol: 20 mg