Salted Caramel

By A Wee Bit of Cake - November 02, 2014

Salted caramel. Need I say more? I love the stuff, whether it’s baking with it, filling a cake with it or just eating it straight from the jar. Have you noticed I even have a section devoted to it on here?

Now, the dreaded C word (don’t hit me please!) but Christmas is rapidly speeding up on us and all I’ve managed so far is soaking the fruit for my cakes. This year I want to go down the homemade route as we are trying to save as much money to go in the wedding/house fund. I was organised back in summer and made a load of raspberry jam but I want to give people more than just a pot of jam for a gift.

Sainsburys contacted me and asked me could I create an edible Christmas gift and after thinking about what foods I love and what has a decent shelf life I knew I needed to make some salted caramel. This caramel is so easy to make and can be added to so many things – brownies, cake filling or my most recent experiment; chocolate bark! (I’ll be sharing that recipe tomorrow). A jar of salted caramel can go a long way!

Salted Caramel (makes approx 1L)
600ml double cream
450g caster sugar
135ml water
4½ tbsp golden syrup
Sea Salt
A selection of glass jars
Sugar thermometer

  • Add the sugar, water and golden syrup to a deep, heavy bottomed pan and give it a stir until all well combined. *(note: some readers have commented saying 170 was too high on their thermometers and the caramel burnt. Keep an eye on it from 130 and if it starts to darken before 170 take it off the heat. It must be to do with different brands of thermometers)*

  • Rapid boil on a high heat until your sugar thermometer reads 170C – do not stir during this time!

  • While the sugar is boiling away pour the double cream into a separate pan and gently simmer until it’s warm but not boiling.

  • Once the sugar reaches temperature take off the heat.

  • Carefully pour the double cream over it taking care as the mixture will bubble up.

  • Give it a good stir until it’s well combined and set aside to cool.

  • Once cool add 1 tbsp of salt to the caramel, adding more if you feel it’s required (I like my caramel quite salty but not everyone does).

  • Pour into the glass jars, add a light sprinkling of sea salt and decorate as you choose.
Enjoy!

Come back soon for my Chocolate Salted Caramel Bark recipe.

Thanks Sainsburys for giving me this opportunity and sorry for talking about Christmas so soon!


  • Share:

You Might Also Like

26 comments

  1. Sounds very easy to make, I'll certainly have a go. Thanks Trish, West Sussex

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Hi Trish,

      it really is! Let me know how you get on.

      x

      Delete
    2. Hi,

      The recipe looks great, i'm thinking of making it as gifts for the teachers this year. Can you tell me how many jars the recipe will make? they look like small(ish) Kilner jars in the picture, is that right?

      Thanks in advance!

      Ella x

      Delete
    3. Hi Ella,

      thanks for your comment. The jars are 125ml in size and I got 4 jars filled plus a jam jar too.

      Hope that helps x

      Delete
  2. What do you have salted caramel with? Would like to make them but not too sure what I could eat them with. Thank you for your thoughts and suggestions

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Hi Tallulah,

      You can add salted caramel to anything. Add it to buttercream, use it as a cake filling, in brownies - the only limit is your imagination. I love it as a cake filling but I gave a colleague one of these jars and she added it to some natural yoghurt and said it made an excellent dessert.

      This recipe can easily be scaled down too if you want to make smaller quantities.

      x

      Delete
  3. Hi! Yum! How long would this keep? Would it need to be kept in the fridge? Thanks Laura

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Hi Laura,

      I find it keeps for about a month but I've never kept it in the fridge, just in a cool dark place, usually a cupboard.

      Hope that helps x

      Delete
  4. hi this looks great. thankyou. can i ask, when you reach the correct temperature for the sugar do you turn it off straight away or continue to let it bubble?

    many thanks

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Hello!

      As soon as it reaches temp I take it straight off the heat and put it on a heat proof mat on the counter.

      Delete
    2. great thank you. merry christmas

      Delete
  5. Making this right now and my kitchen smells gorgeous :)

    ReplyDelete
  6. Please help!
    I have just made this (was sooooo simple) but it is SOOOO bitter! And VERY dark.
    I left it to get to 170•c as said but it seemed like it was burning to me :/

    ReplyDelete
  7. I DID IT! And wow is it delicious! It's perfect colour and taste! Wow! Can't wait to give these as gifts! ^_^
    I did it a lot more on colour than temp and actually my thermometer only read 140•c but it was starting to darken a little around the edges and I could smell it was heading that way! so I just took it off the heat now knowing it will carry on cooking a little bit. Waited for the bubbles to go and could see it was the perfect colour! I am sure I could have left it a little longer but I was scared to risk it! I also didn't have my gas hob on full blast just half to 3/4 on which I think made a massive difference as I was able to watch it.
    I was also a little paranoid about the cream the first time and not sure I warmed it enough but this time it was properly warm =P

    Anyway thank you for this lovely recipe! Was so simple! ^_^
    Putting some of the caramel with the ingredients to the chocolate bark for a gift ^_^

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Hi Kitti,

      so sorry I missed your first comment but I'm so glad it was a success in the end. Maybe it's down to different sugar thermometers being temperamental? Bit like ovens reading baking at different temps too?

      Delete
  8. Hi, we had the same issue, first batch we left it to get to 170C but it had gone too far and looked more like treacle, set our smoke alarms off too! Thankfully the second batch was much better, we did it by eye this time and I think the thermometer read 150 ish. Just waiting for it cool before putting it in the jars, really pleased with it though. Thanks so much for the recipe x

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Hi Jon,

      This is so strange! I made some again on Thursday and it boiled to 170 no bother. It must be a quirk of different sugar thermometers. What brand is yours? I'm going to amend the recipe now with a note telling people to keep an eye on it and temps may vary.

      So strange!

      Delete
    2. An absolutely super recipe that is enjoyed by all, should they get the chance..!!!!! Before some light fingered low life's get into it. So this year I have made the batch very early with a careful addition of Senokot.... The results were amazing and revealed just who the thieves and vagabonds were. I am confident that the real batch to be made next week will be completely safe

      Delete
  9. Worked perfectly for me at 170 degrees (brand new sugar thermometer). Very easy and totally delicious...

    ReplyDelete
  10. Great idea dear and same question as frankie asked
    Buy amazing clothes for baby from Primary Coupon and cool toys from Popreal Coupon

    ReplyDelete
  11. I see what you mean about when you add the cream it bubbles up!! Didn't go over top of the pan though , can't wait to taste it

    ReplyDelete
  12. every time, it goes a long way to help people like. Ali Express Coupons

    ReplyDelete