This apple bourbon caramel sauce has turn into a staple in Chef Cayt’s kitchen, and it’s an all-time favourite recipe along with her family and friends. It’s turn into so common that she even makes huge batches to promote, and across the vacation season, orders come flooding in months upfront. With this recipe, you may whip up this crowd-pleasing sauce in your individual kitchen utilizing just some primary elements and a splash of apple bourbon. You’ll not consider how many individuals will love this, and it’s positive to raise any dessert that makes use of caramel!
For extra caramel sauce recipes, strive our Sea Salt Caramel Sauce or our Fireball Cinnamon Caramel Sauce.
Why Our Recipe
- With distinctive flavors of apple and bourbon, this caramel sauce is in contrast to every other you’ve tried.
- With clear steps and easy elements, our recipe walks you thru the method of constructing caramel in order that anybody could make this sauce.
Our apple bourbon caramel sauce is so scrumptious, and it solely requires just a few elements, most of that are most likely already in your pantry or fridge. The particular ingredient is apple bourbon, which supplies it that flavorful punch that makes it to die for!
Ingredient Notes
- Salted butter: You too can use unsalted butter, simply be sure you add an additional pinch of salt to the recipe.
- Sweetened condensed milk: This helps make the caramel creamy and candy.
- Mild corn syrup: For this recipe, be sure you get mild corn syrup slightly than a darker selection.
- Apple bourbon: That is what makes the flavour of this caramel sauce so distinctive and thrilling, so do what you may to seek out apple bourbon! If you happen to can’t get any although, you may substitute plain bourbon. And in order for you an alcohol-free model, you may omit the bourbon altogether, and also you’ll nonetheless get a yummy caramel sauce.
Caramel Levels
When making caramel, it’s useful to be aware of the assorted levels it goes by because it cooks. The method of sugar reworking into caramel happens over a number of distinct levels which might be identifiable by temperature, and every ends in its personal consistency.
The method begins with the “thread stage” (230–235°F), the place the sugar syrup varieties skinny threads when dropped into chilly water. That’s adopted by the “smooth ball” stage (235–240°F), so named as a result of the syrup varieties a malleable ball in chilly water, however flattens as soon as eliminated. The “agency ball” stage (245–250°F) is when the syrup holds its form when fashioned right into a ball however nonetheless stays pliable. As the warmth rises, you attain the “onerous ball” stage (250–265°F), which supplies you a agency ball that holds its form. The “smooth crack” stage (270–290°F) and “onerous crack” stage (300–310°F) create a agency, brittle syrup. If continued previous these factors, the syrup will flip right into a darkish, richly-flavored caramel at round 320-350°F, best for sauces and confections.
Understanding these levels is essential to find out the ultimate consistency of your caramel. For this recipe, goal for a temperature between 200–205°F. That provides you with a clean and velvety sauce with out reaching the smooth ball stage.
Sweet Thermometers
Sweet thermometers are probably the most correct technique to get your caramel to the specified consistency, nevertheless it’s undoubtedly doable to make caramel with out one.
When your caramel begins to simmer, pay shut consideration to its look and texture. For this recipe, we’re aiming for a clean and velvety sauce. The caramel ought to turn into thicker, and small bubbles ought to constantly break the floor.
To test the consistency of the caramel, you may rigorously take a small spoonful of caramel and let it cool for a second. As soon as it’s cool sufficient that it received’t burn you, use your fingers and pinch the sauce between your thumb and index finger. Pull your fingers aside, and as you do, the sauce ought to kind a thread that stretches however doesn’t instantly break. When you’ve hit that time, you’ll know that you simply’ve gotten to the precise consistency.
From there, take away the saucepan from warmth and permit it to chill for a couple of minutes earlier than you stir within the vanilla extract, apple bourbon, and salt. Then you’ll stir till all of the elements are nicely mixed. Let the sauce quiet down, then switch it to jars for storage.
Troubleshooting Grainy Caramel
Grainy caramel is usually a results of sugar crystallization throughout the caramelization course of. To stop this, stir the combination constantly whilst you warmth up the caramel.
Graininess also can happen due to condensation, which might occur in the event you cowl the caramel when it’s nonetheless too heat. If that occurs, reheat the combination till it boils once more, and that may assist get rid of the grainy texture.
Serving Options
This sauce can go on absolutely anything that like to make use of caramel sauce for. We love dipping apples in it, making apple nachos, drizzling it over ice cream, or utilizing in nearly any dessert you need! Be at liberty to get artistic and incorporate this superb sauce nevertheless you need.
Storage and Reheating Directions
Retailer leftover sauce in an hermetic container at room temperature for as much as 1 month.
Reheat sauce in a saucepan over low warmth or in a microwave-safe container within the microwave on brief intervals till it reaches the specified consistency.
