Salted Caramel Sauce Dreams

Do you ever go to sleep at night and dream of salted caramel sauce?  I did 3 nights ago and ever since then I have been trying different techniques to get the best salted caramel sauce on earth.  The first technique involved heating sugar in a sauce pan until it melted- no water.  Tell you what, this recipe was for the birds.  Have you ever watched sugar turn into a liquid while staying rock hard in certain places?  One word-frustratingly stupid.  Two words.

Hate this method.  I had to strain the sauce at the end as not all the sugar fully dissolved.

The other method involves adding a small bit of water to your sugar to help turn it into a syrup quicker- and smoother.  This will be the recipe I'm sharing with you below, not the first recipe I tried.  Oh no, I save that only for my masochist cooking friends....you know who you are.  You are the ones who try recipes even though you are fairly certain they will fail, you are the ones who put things in your mouth even though the temperature just said 240 degrees on your candy thermometer, and you are the ones who poke sleeping bears.

Salted Caramel Sauce
1 1/2 cups white sugar
1/2 cup water
1 cup heavy cream- warmed
3 T unsalted butter - Don't ask why it's unsalted or I will sic the bear on you
1 1/2 t vanilla extract
1- 1 1/2 t sea salt- all based on how salty you like it

Add the sugar and water in a heavy sauce pan and turn the heat on medium.  I like to swirl the water/sugar mixture every minute or so to help it dissolve evenly.  Once dissolved, you will let this bubble for about 10-12 minutes, until the sugar syrup turns a dark amber.  Once it is this color, turn off the heat.

Add the warmed cream(either warm it on the stove until it barely simmers, or stick it in the microwave for 60 seconds- you're the one who has to do the dishes afterward.)  It will bubble up furiously at this point- that's what it is supposed to do- start whisking.  Once the bubbling subsides, add the butter and vanilla, whisking again until everything is incorporated.  Then add the salt, start with the minimum amount, wait for it to cool slightly and then add more if your palate desires.

Pour the caramel into 4 oz or 8 oz mason jars and give away for gifts.  Or don't.  Sit in the corner of your kitchen in the dark and eat the whole jar with a spoon.  I won't judge you, but you are the one who has to fit in your cute New Years Eve party dress, not me.

-Jenny