Caytlin’s Well-known Apple Bourbon Caramel Sauce

This apple bourbon caramel sauce has change into a staple in Chef Cayt’s kitchen, and it’s an all-time favourite recipe along with her family and friends. It’s change into so in style that she even makes large 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.

Our apple bourbon caramel sauce is so scrumptious, and it solely requires a couple of elements, most of that are in all probability already in your pantry or fridge. The particular ingredient is apple bourbon, which provides it that flavorful punch that makes it to die for!

Ingredient Notes

• Salted butter: You may as well use unsalted butter, simply ensure you add an additional pinch of salt to the recipe.
• Sweetened condensed milk: This helps make the caramel creamy and candy.
• Gentle corn syrup: For this recipe, ensure you get mild corn syrup quite 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 search out apple bourbon! In case you can’t get any although, you may substitute plain bourbon. And if you would like 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 accustomed to the varied levels it goes by way of because it cooks. The method of sugar remodeling 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 types 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 types 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 shaped right into a ball however nonetheless stays pliable. As the warmth rises, you attain the “laborious ball” stage (250–265°F), which provides you a agency ball that holds its form. The “smooth crack” stage (270–290°F) and “laborious 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, preferrred for sauces and confections.

Realizing 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 will provide you with a easy and velvety sauce with out reaching the smooth ball stage.

Sweet Thermometers

Sweet thermometers are probably the most correct solution to get your caramel to the specified consistency, but it surely’s positively 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 easy and velvety sauce. The caramel ought to change into thicker, and small bubbles ought to persistently break the floor.

To verify 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 gained’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 just’ve gotten to the correct 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 effectively mixed. Let the sauce settle down, then switch it to jars for storage.

Troubleshooting Grainy Caramel

Grainy caramel is commonly a results of sugar crystallization throughout the caramelization course of. To forestall this, stir the combination persistently when you warmth up the caramel.

Graininess may happen due to condensation, which may occur when you cowl the caramel when it’s nonetheless too heat. If that occurs, reheat the combination till it boils once more, and that can assist remove the grainy texture.

Serving Strategies

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 happy to get inventive and incorporate this wonderful sauce nonetheless you need.