SAUCE FOR HOMEMADE VANILLA ICE CREAM, OR ANY OTHER ICE CREAM!

Two wonderful, easy to make (well as easy as caramel sauce can be) sauces for ice cream.

The second one is David Lebovitz's recipe and if you don't follow his blog, you might want to take a look.  Here is the link to the chocolate sauce recipe: http://www.davidlebovitz.com/2013/09/salted-butter-chocolate-sauce-recipe/

and BTW, the chocolate for this recipe is available at Wallmart for I think $2.49 a bar and you will need two and a third bars.  Might just tuck the other two-thirds away for a chocolate attack.  Also, if you have not read David's book "The Sweet Life in Paris" it is a great book and a must read before traveling to the city of lights if you are so lucky to visit.

Recipe for the caramel sauce:

Ingredients

• 2 cups granulated sugar
• 1/2 cup water
• 2 tablespoons corn syrup
• 1/4 cup butter, cut into chunks
• 1 cup heavy cream

Instructions

1. Place the sugar, water, and corn syrup in a medium saucepan with high sides, and stir to combine. Heat over medium heat until all of the sugar has melted, stirring occasionally and using a wet pastry brush to remove any sugar crystals that form on the sides of the pan. Increase the heat to high.
2. When the sugar mixture begins to boil, do not stir. It will take several minutes before the sugar begins to change color, but once that process begins, things will move quickly. If you feel it needs stirring (for example, if it looks like caramelization is not happening uniformly across the pan), move the handle of the pan to gently swirl the contents.
3. Once the caramel reaches a medium amber color, remove it from the heat immediately. Alternatively, you may allow it to cook longer, until it is more of a bronze color, but note that doing so will result in a darker caramel flavor and a thicker consistency in the final product.
4. Quickly whisk in the butter, then add the cream and whisk until smooth. The caramel will bubble violently during this stage, but it will settle down once the butter and cream have been completely incorporated.
5. Though the completed sauce will be quite thin at this point, know that it will thicken at it cools. Using the wet pastry brush in the beginning should have prevented chunks from forming in the caramel, but if there are any, simply strain out the solids using a fine mesh strainer. Pour the sauce into the jar or storage container of your choice and allow it to cool to room temperature, then secure it with a lid and transfer it to the refrigerator where it may be kept for up to 2 weeks. Serve the sauce over ice cream, pancakes, fruit, or whatever your heart desires. If the sauce is thicker than you want it when chilled, you can microwave it for a few seconds to soften it or place the jar in a bath of hot water.

I know, I know the purists say NOT CORN SYRUP but with this recipe you will NOT get crystallization, so I rest my case.

You will also note my recycled jars - the chocolate is in a jam jar and the caramel in a spaghetti sauce jar.  I use Corel Draw for making labels - I will send the leftover sauce home with my company today and that is one of the reasons why I always make a quick label as it is always a good idea to label food you are sending home or making as a gift. 

Resource
The Sweet Life in Paris, The Sweet Life in Paris: Delicious Adventures in the World's Most Glorious - and Perplexing - City
Lindt fleur de sel chocolate bars, Walmart
Corel Draw, CorelDRAW Graphics Suite X7 Academic
Font used on jar labels, Parisian BT




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