The sauce is a rich mixture of sugar, butter, and cream, but just a mere half teaspoon of either fleur de sel or sea salt cuts right through any sickly sweetness and rounds out the flavor perfectly.
You can use any sugar to make a caramel sauce.
A salted caramel sauce is incredibly versatile and can be used in many different dishes. Pour warm sauce over ice cream or stir it through a custard sauce. It can be used to decorate cakes, bars, and cookies, and can even be poured over pancakes for breakfast.
Ingredients
1 1/2 cups sugar
6 tablespoons salted butter
1/2 cup heavy cream
1/2 teaspoon flaky sea salt, such as fleur de sel or Maldon sea salt
Steps to Make It
Tip the sugar into a wide, heavy-bottomed skillet over medium heat. You now need to be patient and stay by the pan. Do not stir the sugar; simply shake the pan from time to time to prevent it from burning. Do not be tempted to turn the heat up. The sugar will start to melt and there will be a moment when it goes from sugar to caramel. If you rush this, it will more likely burn than melt.
The beginning of the melting starts slowly. Shake the pan to prevent it from sticking or browning too much.
The melting of the sugar will increase rapidly. Stay with it and continue to shake the pan. Note that sugar will begin to stick to the side of the pan with all the shaking. Keep a pastry brush handy and periodically sweep around the sides of the pan to loosen the sugar.
As soon as the sugar is molten, add the butter. Use caution, as the sugar may splutter and will be very hot. Whisk furiously to incorporate the butter into the sugar.
Butter added to caramel with whisk
Add the cream and again whisk it into the sauce.
The sauce will take shape and become thick and smooth. Add the salt and stir again. Serve.