Salted Caramel Sauce with Milk
A glossy salted caramel sauce made with sugar, warm milk and butter.
This salted caramel sauce cooks sugar to an amber syrup, then loosens it with warm milk and finishes with butter and salt. The source adds cool milk directly to boiling caramel, which can bubble up sharply; warming the milk first and pouring it slowly off the heat makes the process easier to control. The sauce thickens as it cools, so stop cooking while it still flows from a spoon. Warm milk in a small saucepan until steaming but not boiling. Keep nearby. Combine sugar and water in a heavy saucepan. Stir over medium heat until sugar dissolves, then stop stirring. Boil syrup until deep amber, swirling the pan gently as needed. Remove from heat. Whisk in warm milk a little at a time, standing back as the mixture bubbles. If caramel seizes, return pan to low heat and stir until smooth.
Recipe card
Salted Caramel Sauce with Milk
Equipment: Measuring cups and spoons, mixing bowls, a sharp knife, and the pan or baking dish specified in the method
Ingredients
Instructions
Warm milk
Warm milk in a small saucepan until steaming but not boiling. Keep nearby.
Cook sugar syrup
Combine sugar and water in a heavy saucepan. Stir over medium heat until sugar dissolves, then stop stirring.
Caramelise
Boil syrup until deep amber, swirling the pan gently as needed. Remove from heat.
Add milk carefully
Whisk in warm milk a little at a time, standing back as the mixture bubbles. If caramel seizes, return pan to low heat and stir until smooth.
Finish sauce
Whisk in butter and salt until glossy. Stir in vanilla if using.
Cool and store
Cool before transferring to a clean jar. Sauce thickens as it cools.
How to tell when it is ready
Cool before transferring to a clean jar. Sauce thickens as it cools.
Tips
- Warm milk in a small saucepan until steaming but not boiling.
- Combine sugar and water in a heavy saucepan.
- Boil syrup until deep amber, swirling the pan gently as needed.
- Whisk in warm milk a little at a time, standing back as the mixture bubbles.
Troubleshooting
- If sauce is too thick, warm it with a spoonful of milk.
- If it tastes bitter, the sugar may have cooked too dark.
Substitutions
- Use plant milk and vegan butter, adding milk slowly.
- Use flaky salt for a more pronounced finish.
Variations
- Add vanilla or cinnamon.
- Fold in toasted chopped nuts after cooling.
Serving suggestions
- Drizzle over ice cream.
- Pour over pancakes or waffles.
- Stir into coffee.
- Serve with sliced apples.
Make ahead
Prepare components ahead and store safely. Refrigerate in a sealed jar up to 2 weeks. Rewarm gently before serving.
Storage
Refrigerate in a sealed jar up to 2 weeks. Rewarm gently before serving.
Food safety
Take care with hot caramel; use a deep saucepan and keep children away from the hot sugar. Refrigerate dairy sauce promptly.
Frequently asked questions
Why did my caramel seize?
Milk can cool caramel quickly. Return the pan to low heat and stir until the sugar dissolves again.
How should I store salted caramel sauce with milk?
Refrigerate in a sealed jar up to 2 weeks. Rewarm gently before serving.
Drizzle over ice cream. Refrigerate in a sealed jar up to 2 weeks. Rewarm gently before serving.
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