Caramel Apple Sundae

Perfect caramel sauce is hard to come by.  This sauce is wonderful for dipping apples, or for making a caramel apple sundaes. It comes together easily and pretty quickly too!  Candy thermometers need not apply.  This caramel is not fussy.  Just follow along with the directions and it will come together nicely. Take my advice… don’t let the sugar mixture become too brown/dark before adding the butter and cream.  This will make your caramel taste bitter.  Best bet?  If you get the melted sugar too dark, throw it out and start over.  Easy as that.

Me… a post without something random, like pigs?  Nope.

Today we had Family-Chore-Saturday and it was eventful as usual.  The day was capped off with one of the gilts came over and kicked the kids out of her ‘bed’ in the dirt.  She’s really friendly and her name is Priscilla, but I call her Darlene.  Here are some pictures of the day, I hope you are having a great weekend too.  Pictures then full recipe at the bottom of the post.

Raise your hand if you need a nap!

It was such a pretty day out.  Here the kids are trying to get a sun-bather to roll over for some scratching.

She likes Priscilla (who is shorter and younger) better for riding than Cookie Dough, Sassy and Cherry D.

You’re in my spot…

Here is the recipe!

Caramel for Dipping
Ingredients:
1 C white, granulated sugar
5 T salted butter
1 C heavy cream (room temperature)
1 tsp vanilla extract or vanilla bean paste
Pinch of salt

Place sugar in a large saucepan with high sides, heat burner to medium/medium high. Watch sugars melt and gently swish mixture so no sugar burns. (This will make your caramel taste bitter). When sugar is melted and lightly amber (the darker the sugar, the more bitter the flavor of caramel you’ll have), stir in butter until well mixed. Reduce heat to medium or medium low (depending on how ‘hot’ your stovetop is). Add cream, vanilla and salt. Stand back, the mixture will boil up. Stir until well incorporated, and bring to a boil.  Stir continuously until mixture is homogenous. Bring to a boil and hold it for 3 minutes and 30 seconds. Remove caramel from heat. Set aside to cool. (Don’t freak out, the caramel may seem too ‘loose’ but when it cools down, it will stiffen up a bit.)  Store at room temperature for 2 days, then after that, in an airtight container in the refrigerator, warm in microwave to serve.

Caramel Apple Sundaes
Makes 6 sundaes
Ingredients:
6 Honeycrisp apples, cored and sliced (try to do this right before serving, so they don’t oxidize and become brown)
1 batch ‘Caramel for Dipping’ Sauce (recipe above)
2 C dry roasted peanuts or salted cocktail peanuts, chopped (measure 2 C of nuts prior to chopping)
Extras: mini chocolate chips, mini marshmallows, mini M&M’s
Cut apples into slices (8 slices per apple), arrange in a bowl.  Drizzle with caramel sauce, top with nuts and extra toppings if desired. Whipped cream and a cherry, you ask? Sure.
Serve immediately.  Makes 6 sundaes.