Caytlin’s Well-known Apple Bourbon Caramel Sauce

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 standard that she even makes huge batches to promote, and across the vacation season, orders come flooding in months prematurely. With this recipe, you’ll be able to whip up this crowd-pleasing sauce in your individual kitchen utilizing only a few fundamental substances and a splash of apple bourbon. You’ll not imagine how many individuals will love this, and it’s certain to raise any dessert that makes use of caramel!

For extra caramel sauce recipes, attempt our Sea Salt Caramel Sauce or our Fireball Cinnamon Caramel Sauce.

Our apple bourbon caramel sauce is so scrumptious, and it solely requires just a few substances, most of that are most likely 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 too can 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 somewhat than a darker selection.
• Apple bourbon: That is what makes the flavour of this caramel sauce so distinctive and thrilling, so do what you’ll be able to to seek out apple bourbon! In case you can’t get any although, you’ll be able to substitute plain bourbon. And if you’d like an alcohol-free model, you’ll be able to omit the bourbon altogether, and also you’ll nonetheless get a yummy caramel sauce.

Caramel Phases

When making caramel, it’s useful to be aware of the varied phases it goes by way of because it cooks. The method of sugar reworking into caramel happens over a number of distinct phases 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 kinds skinny threads when dropped into chilly water. That’s adopted by the “comfortable ball” stage (235–240°F), so named as a result of the syrup kinds 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 provides you a agency ball that holds its form. The “comfortable 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, perfect for sauces and confections.

Understanding these phases is essential to find out the ultimate consistency of your caramel. For this recipe, purpose for a temperature between 200–205°F. That gives you a clean and velvety sauce with out reaching the comfortable ball stage.

Sweet Thermometers

Sweet thermometers are probably the most correct approach to get your caramel to the specified consistency, but it surely’s undoubtedly potential 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’ll be able to fastidiously 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 just’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 substances are effectively mixed. Let the sauce calm down, then switch it to jars for storage.

Troubleshooting Grainy Caramel

Grainy caramel is usually a results of sugar crystallization through the caramelization course of. To forestall this, stir the combination constantly when you warmth up the caramel.

Graininess can even 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 may assist eradicate 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 at liberty to get artistic and incorporate this wonderful sauce nonetheless you need.