Sugar is my own worst enemy. I love it but I’ve been trying to cut down my intake lately. Every week, I allow myself a day off the sweet stuff but sometimes you get that craving that wont goes away.
So I threw down the sugary gauntlet and accepted the task – to make the ultimate sugar free caramel recipe.
” Sugar free doesn’t mean taste free “
For me, caramel sauce can be filed under the same delightfully sweet category as a chocolate sauce or homemade peanut butter. I remember the days of pouring various concoctions over ice cream sundaes – it’s that nostalgic element I love so much.
With that in mind, I wanted to create a full bodied caramel sauce recipe that would conjure up memories of yesteryear, when friends and family got together to enjoy these sweet treats. Nowadays, I’m far more likely to keep it to myself but having something in the cupboard ready to pour is essential.
I wanted to create a caramel sauce that was a little healthier but still reminded me of the great tasting sauces of years gone by. When you create sugar free caramel sauce, the most important thing to me is taste. It’s important to satisfy your taste buds without replacing sugar with something dull.
You can pour caramel sauce over cheesecakes, fill biscuits and the list goes on. But perfecting the recipe will require a little patience and timing, otherwise you might end up with a gooey mess.
Homemade caramel sauce can be tricky to make. I perfected this with some trial and error so don’t worry! You might need a few attempts to become a caramel sauce making machine.
On The Gas recipe
Yield: 1 jar full
Active Time: 25 minutes
Total Time: 35 minutes
Ingredients:
1/2 cup water
1/2 cup butter
2 cups of granulated sweetener
1/2 teaspoon of caramel extract
1 cup of double cream
A dash of salt for taste
Directions:
1. Prepare your ingredients and cooking instruments
The secret to a good sugar free caramel sauce is preparation. You’ll need a medium saucepan, whisk and heatproof container.
2. Boil water and add sweetener
Get 1/2 cup of water and add it into a medium saucepan over medium-high heat. Add the sweetener into the water and whisk until the sweetener is dissolved.
3. Add the butter
Watch the mixture until it reaches a brown or amber color. This should take around 8 – 12 minutes in total. Once it reaches this color, add butter and whisk until melted and then remove it from the heat.
4. Mix cream
Add in the cream and whisk to combine until evenly mixed. At this point, your mixture should be sticky but light. Add in 1/2 a teaspoon of caramel extract and mix.
5. Add the salt
Add a small pinch of salt into the mixture for taste.
6. Pour mixture into a container
Transfer your caramel mixture into a jar or heat proof container. Once completely cooled, store your container in the fridge until you’re ready to eat it.
This quick and easy recipe is designed to produce a light but tasty caramel sauce that can be reheated with ease. The trick is to time your mixing just right to provide the consistency required for our tasty sugar free caramel sauce.
You can store the mixture in the fridge for up to 6 weeks – so there’s no need to eat it in one sitting. The sauce goes great over fruit, pancakes, ice cream and much more. In fact, your caramel sauce will go with anything and adds a nice sweet taste to any pudding.
Is it worth it?
Sure thing. This sugar free recipe will tame anyone’s’ sweet tooth and is a tasty alternative to traditional caramel sauce recipes. It’s healthier and can be stored for longer.
It’s all about timing though. Make sure you take the saucepan off the heat before 12 minutes is up. You’ll know by looking at the color and consistency of the mixture.
Other ideas
The great thing about this recipe is you can experiment with different flavored extracts. I recommend using butterscotch or vanilla to create a different but tasty alternative to a traditional caramel sauce.
It might take a few attempts to get your level of flavor right but you’ll instantly love the difference in taste.
What’s more, you can increase the amount of ingredients used to make a larger batch of caramel sauce. It makes the perfect gift for friends and family who might appreciate a homemade preserve.
