a salted butter caramel sauce

We have been going to the orchard to buy apples quite regularly lately,

as Brick Master is learning to drive and the countryside is a safe place to practice,

at least compared to the DC beltway!

One way we have been enjoying the fresh apples is by dipping them in this delicious

homemade caramel sauce. It is so yummy that I found children eating apples for breakfast

as an excuse to have more salted butter caramel goodness!

This recipe is from L'Academie de Cuisine,

when/where I learned some traditional French Pastry:

8 oz sugar 1/4 cup water 4 oz heavy cream, warmed (30s in the microwave) 2 oz butter 1/2 tsp vanilla lemon juice (to taste) salt (to taste)
In a large pot (much bigger that you think you need),  stir sugar and water together to make a slurry. Cover with a lid and cook over high heat without stirring. When the sugar dissolves (everything is liquid), remove the lid. Cook the sugar until it turns a light amber color, still without stirring, but you can shake the pot, just no utensils inside as it might create a way for the sugar to recrystallize.
Remove the pot from the heat, stir in the warm cream( a little at a time), butter and vanilla. It looks a little scary as you add a little cream but it is all part of the process!
If the caramel sauce seizes (turn solid), return the pot to the heat and stir until smooth. Pour through a sieve and season to taste with vanilla, lemon juice and salt. Since I use Irish butter (salted) I feel like it is salted enough....
Store caramel sauce in the refrigerator. Sauce can be gently re-warmed in the microwave and/or consistency adjusted with additional milk or cream.
It tastes so delicious, a apple can be seen as optional.....

as finger licking becomes almost a necessity! Happy day!