Homemade Creamy Caramel Sauce

Indulge in homemade sweet, creamy, milk caramel sauce that is perfect for drizzling over desserts, stirring into coffee or eating straight off the spoon!

All you need to make this sweet sauce is a crockpot, a mason jar, and a can of sweetened condensed milk.

This rich, creamy sauce is the first step towards an absolutely fantastic ice cream recipe. So, get a jar in your slow cooker today and be ready to make the ice cream soon. Likewise, with the homemade caramel sauce it is delicious when is freshly made to top it on your pancakes, desserts, cakes and pastries. It is also beautiful as a homemade gift for neighbors and relatives.

Ingredients 

• ▢1 14 ounce can sweetened condensed milk *
• ▢optional: 1/8 teaspoon fine sea salt

Instructions

• Open the sweetened condensed milk and stir in the salt, if you want a salted caramel flavor. Pour the milk into a mason jar and top with a lid. Screw the band on the jar enough that it won’t fall off, but not finger tight.
•  Fill the crockpot with water to just below the band. Set the temperature to LOW and cover with lid.
• Let it cook for 6-8 hours, then check the color of the jar. (The lid on my crockpot is clear and I was able to watch it darken through the day.)
• After about 6 hours, the milk will have turned golden brown, thick and creamy. As you continue to cook it, the caramel sauce will darken and become thicker. I wanted mine to be pourable when warm, so 6-7 hours was perfect.
• Remove the jar from the crockpot and set aside to cool. Let it cool at least 1 hour before opening the jar. (I’ve heard that the hot caramel sauce will explode out at you if you open it too hot!) Let cool and store in the refrigerator until ready to use.
• The sauce will thicken when refrigerated and can easily be reheated in the microwave for 20-30 seconds at a time, stirring in between. Enjoy!

Thereafter if you would like to make ice cream with the above homemade creamy caramel sauce, here for the ideal balance of sweet yet salty and rich yet light. You may cut down some of the process from the above already made ingredients

Ingredients for Salted Caramel Ice Cream

• 3/4 cup light brown sugar
• 6 tablespoons butter
• 1 1/2 cups heavy cream
• 1 cup milk
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1/8 teaspoon fine sea salt

Instructions

• Combine the sugar and the butter in a medium size saucepan, over medium heat. When the butter has melted, stir to combine and continue stirring for 4 minutes. When the sugar and butter have combined and are bubbly, smooth and thick, remove from the heat. Then, very slowly, pour the cream into the hot caramel, whisking constantly. Whisk until smooth, making sure there isn’t a great deal of caramel stuck on the bottom of the pan. (A little bit of caramel stuck to the bottom edges is fine.) Add the milk, vanilla and salt. Whisk again until smooth. Cover and refrigerator until cold.
• Process according to your ice cream machine’s manufacturer’s directions. Serve immediately for soft serve ice cream, or transfer to an airtight container and freeze for firmer ice cream. You can add popcorn for garnish.