Perfect Caramel Sauce with Sea Salt (Dry Method)

Before you start, prepare all the ingredients. This is crucial because the process of making caramel is very quick and there won't be time to search for products. Measure out exactly 200g of sugar. Cut 60g of cold butter into small cubes (about 1x1 cm) and put it back in the fridge. Measure 200 ml of heavy cream and pour it into a small saucepan. Measure the salt.

Choose a pot with a thick, light bottom. Pour an even layer of sugar on the bottom. Place the pot on the stove over medium heat. Now, patience is key. Do not stir the sugar! Watch it. After about 3-5 minutes, you will notice that the sugar at the edges begins to melt and turn liquid. You can gently move the entire pot to allow the liquid sugar to cover the dry crystals.

Continue heating until all the sugar dissolves and turns into a smooth, liquid syrup with a beautiful amber color. This will take another 2-4 minutes. The color should resemble a copper coin. Be careful not to burn it – if it becomes too dark and starts to smoke, it will be bitter. At this point, you can start gently stirring the mixture with a wooden spoon or silicone spatula to ensure there are no lumps.

Reduce the heat to the minimum. Add the diced cold butter to the hot caramel. NOTE: the mixture will start to bubble and splatter vigorously! This is a normal reaction. Stir vigorously and continuously with a whisk or spoon until all the butter is melted and combined with the caramel into a uniform, smooth mixture. This will take about 1 minute.

Heat the cream in a saucepan or in the microwave until hot, but not boiling. Remove the pot with the caramel from the heat. Very slowly, in a thin stream, pour the hot cream into the caramel-butter mixture, whisking vigorously all the while. The mixture will foam up again and increase in volume. Pour the cream slowly and carefully until you have added it all. Stir until the sauce is smooth and uniform.

Place the pot back on low heat and cook for about 1-2 minutes, stirring constantly, until the sauce thickens slightly. Remove the pot from the heat. Add sea salt and optionally vanilla extract. Mix thoroughly. Taste and add a pinch more salt if needed. Remember that the sauce will thicken as it cools.

Set the sauce aside to cool for about 10-15 minutes. While still warm but no longer boiling, carefully pour it into a clean, sterilized jar. As it cools, the sauce will reach its final thick and pourable consistency. Store the completely cooled sauce in the refrigerator.