Rum Caramel Sauce
Rum gives an extra little kick to your favourite rich, thick caramel sauce. Drizzle this rum caramel sauce on all your favourite grown-up desserts.
Servings: 2 cups of sauce
Ingredients
- ¾ cup cream (180ml)
- 2 cups sugar (400g) caster or superfine sugar works best
- ½ cup water (125ml)
- 2 tablespoons corn syrup or liquid glucose (40g) optional
- 2 tablespoons unsalted butter (approx. 25 grams)
- 1 teaspoon flaky sea salt
- ¼ cup rum - dark or gold (60ml)
Instructions
- Before you start, make sure you have all of your ingredients measured and ready to go, plus all of your equipment ready. Caramel is all about timing, and you're less likely to burn it if you have everything you need easily at hand ❤
- Measure the cream into a microwave-safe jug, and heat until warm (around 30 seconds, depending on your microwave power). The temperature isn’t too important, but warming the cream slightly will help it splatter less when you add it to the caramel. Set aside.
- Combine the sugar, water and corn syrup or glucose in a medium saucepan, stirring gently until all the sugar is moistened.
- Place over medium-low heat and stir for a minute or so, without letting it boil, until the sugar starts to dissolve. Use a pastry brush dipped in water to brush down any remaining sugar crystals on the sides of the pan.
- Increase the heat to high and bring the syrup to a boil, and boil until it reaches a deep amber colour. It will be about 170°C (338°F) on a sugar thermometer. You can swirl the pan gently to colour the caramel evenly.If you don’t have a thermometer, pay attention to the stages the syrup goes through. After it comes to a boil, the last of the sugar crystals will dissolve. The bubbles will be thin and rise and pop quickly on the surface. As the syrup cooks and the water evaporates, the bubbles will become thicker and a little slower to pop. Once it reaches the deep amber colour, it’s ready.
- Immediately remove the caramel from the heat, and carefully pour in the cream. It will splatter, so be careful! Stir with a wooden spoon or heatproof spatula to combine. Don’t panic if there are any hard bits of set caramel.
- Place the pan back over medium heat, and bring it back to a boil, stirring constantly, until the sauce reaches 115°C (240°F).If not using a thermometer, just boil the sauce for a couple of minutes, until it darkens a little more in colour and thickens slightly.
- Remove from the heat and whisk in the butter until combined.Add the rum and most of the salt. Once it’s all combined, remove a spoonful of the sauce, let it cool a bit and taste it to check the salt level. Add more salt if necessary.
- Leave the sauce to cool before using. It will thicken as it cools.
- Store the sauce in a sealed container in the refrigerator for several weeks. Reheat gently before using.
Notes
Cream - The cream you need for this recipe is known by different names in different countries. Here in NZ it’s usually called standard cream or whipping cream, elsewhere it may also be known as single cream or full cream. Heavy cream will also work and will give you a slightly thicker sauce.
Sugar - Caster or superfine sugar dissolves quickest, but regular granulated sugar is also fine to use.
Corn syrup/liquid glucose - This is optional but recommended, as it helps stop the sugar from recrystallising and becoming grainy.
Salt - I use a sea salt that has quite fine flakes, if yours is coarser, like kosher salt, you may need to grind it up a bit to make sure it dissolves into the sauce. If you only have regular table salt you will need to use much less, as it is finer than flaky salt.
To make a spiced rum caramel sauce: When adding the rum, add a few pinches of your favourite spices. Taste the sauce and add more if you want. You could use cinnamon and/or ginger, maybe a little cardamom. Pumpkin pie spice would also be nice, or mixed spice if you're in NZ.
Tried this recipe?Tag @sweetness.and.bite on Instagram, and hashtag #sweetnessandbite so we can see it! ❤
