Butterscotch Sauce

To give you a “taste” to go with this visual, it’s melted Werther’s Original hard candies. Almost exactly.

I made this once for I don’t remember what reason, but I can’t tell you how many times I’ve used it since. It makes about two cups, and when drizzling, a little goes a long way. Though not necessarily a staple, I sure do find lots of ways to use it when it’s in my fridge. I drizzle it over ice cream, pies, pound cake, cakes, even sliced bananas. It keeps for almost ever, and you can use it to jazz up something otherwise boring. Case and point:

So you have some of this made in your fridge; go buy a pound cake. Slice it thin, spread both sides with butter, and toast on grill, grill pan or skillet. Place the cake slices in bowls, top with a scoop of vanilla ice cream, and drizzle the homemade butterscotch over the top. It’s so obviously homemade (because it’s so obviously better than store-bought butterscotch sauce) that it makes your dessert seem really special and time consuming, when it’s actually pretty easy.

Caramel is burnt sugar (the only burnt thing I enjoy). You will see this very clearly in the photos…it’s very cool, very science-y. No obvious need for butterscotch sauce but hoping to occupy your kids for about twenty minutes? Make caramel. There’s lots of bubbling and the smell’s to die for. You can chat chemistry while it cooks, then pour it over your pancakes and toast forks to your joint discovery.

Butterscotch Sauce

Adapted from Joy of Cooking

1/2 c. unsalted butter

1/4 c. water

2 tbsp. light corn syrup

1 c. sugar

1/2 c. heavy cream

1 tsp. vanilla

1/2 tsp. kosher salt

1. Combine butter, water, and corn syrup in a medium saucepan over medium-low heat. Stir occasionally until the butter is melted and the mixture is combined.

2. Add sugar, stir until dissolved.

3. Increase the heat to medium-high and let the mixture boil (without stirring) until the mixture begins to turn light brown. This will take somewhere between 4-8 minutes. 

4. Reduce heat to low and watch carefully. When the mixture turns the color of a Werther’s Caramel and the bubbles grow smaller, remove from heat.

5. Carefully and slowly (stand back a bit) pour in the heavy cream and whisk until smooth.

6. Add vanilla and salt and whisk until smooth.

7. Store in a glass container (I use a 2 c. glass measuring cup covered with plastic wrap) in your fridge. When ready to use, remove the plastic and microwave for 30 seconds. Stir, and microwave again until pourable.