FoodSauces.com

posted by Saucy on Jul 28

If you have a sweet tooth then there’s probably nothing more satisfying that a caramel sauce! That warm buttery goodness is delicious over ice cream, cake or just about anything. What many people don’t realize though is just how easy it is to make. And a homemade caramel sauce is so much tastier than anything you could buy off of the shelf.

While making caramel sauce is easy, the process requires close attention. The very first thing you need to understand is that molten sugar is extremely hot, much hotter than boiling water. Therefore you need to be extremely careful when handling this mixture (keep the little ones out of the kitchen). The second item to be aware of is that the process happens very quickly. The line between a rich caramel and burnt sugar is very fine. You need to pay close attention to the pan through the entire process to make sure the sugar doesn’t burn. For this reason it is also very important to have all of your ingredients ready to go in advance. Follow these simple guidelines and you’ll soon find yourself in caramel heaven!

1 cup Sugar
2 tablespoons Water
6 tablespoons Butter
1/2 cup Heavy Whipping Cream

Over high heat, bring the sugar and water to a boil in a medium sauce pan with very high sides (2-3 qt). The high sides are necessary because the mixture will foam up once the other ingredients are added. As the sugar begins to melt stir vigorously. Stop stirring when the sugar begins to boil. You can wipe down the sides of the pan as necessary with a wet pastry brush. Once all the sugar crystals have melted and the mixture is an amber color, add the butter. Wisk until the butter has melted. When all the butter has melted remove from the heat. Slowly add the cream while stirring continuously. Allow to cool for a few minutes in the pan. The sauce can be served warm, or it can be stored for future use. To store the sauce, pour the warm mixture into a glass mason and allow to cool to room temperature. Put on the lid and the sauce can be stored refrigerated for up to 2 weeks.

posted by Saucy on Jul 24

Now it’s time for a little sweetness! A ganache is typically made from equal parts of chocolate and heavy cream. When a ganache cools it has the consistency of spreadable frosting, so it’s technically not a sauce. However, when it’s warm, the velvety smooth chocolate richness can be poured over your favorite cake or brownie for the ultimate in decadence.

Always use a good quality chocolate. This is the most important element to the quality of the ganache. The better the chocolate, the better the ganache. Taste the chocolate before you use it to make sure it will give you the flavor and texture that you desire.

8 ounces semisweet or bittersweet chocolate, chopped into small pieces
3/4 cup heavy whipping cream
2 tablespoons unsalted butter

Heat the cream and butter in a sauce pan over medium heat. Bring it just to a boil. Pour the hot cream over the chocolate. Stir to melt chocolate. The butter will give it a shiny finish. If that is not a consideration you can omit the butter. You can also choose to add a flavoring or liqueur if you desire. Extracts, such as vanilla, can be added (1 teaspoon), or liqueurs such as cognac or brandy are often used (1 tablespoon).

This recipe will make enough ganache to cover a 9in cake.