BASIC CARAMEL

Yield: Yields 2/3 cup.


The caramel will harden quickly upon cooling.
Ingredients
1 cup granulated sugar
1/4 tsp. fresh lemon juice
Fill a cup measure halfway with water and put a pastry brush in it; this will be used for washing down the sides of the pan to prevent crystallization. In a heavy-duty 2-quart saucepan, stir the sugar, lemon juice, and 1/4 cup cold water. Brush down the sides of the pan with water to wash away any sugar crystals.
Bring to a boil over medium-high heat and cook, occasionally brushing down the sides of the pan, until the mixture starts to color around the edges, 5 to 8 minutes.
Gently swirl the pan once to even out the color and prevent the sugar from burning in isolated spots. Continue to cook until the sugar turns medium amber, about 30 seconds more. (Once the mixture begins to color, it will darken very quickly, so keep an eye on it.

Add heavy cream and butter to the Basic Caramel recipe for a velvety sauce that’s lovely over vanilla ice cream, with toasted nuts on top. It’s also good with chocolate desserts.

Ingredients

• 1 recipe Basic Caramel 
• 3/4 cup heavy cream
• 1 oz. (2 Tbs.) unsalted butter, cut into 4 pieces
• 1 tsp. pure vanilla extract

Nutritional Information

Preparation

• Make the Basic Caramel according to the directions. Immediately remove the pan from the heat and very slowly and carefully add the cream (the mixture will bubble up furiously), stirring with a spatula or wooden spoon until smooth. If there are any hardened bits of caramel sticking to the bottom of the pan, set the pan over medium-low heat and stir until they are dissolved. Add the butter and stir until melted. Stir in the vanilla extract.
  If not using immediately, cool to room temperature, cover, and refrigerate for up to 5 days. Serve warm or cool. To reheat, microwave on high, stirring every 20 seconds until hot, or heat in a small pan over medium-low heat, stirring until hot.