How to Make Caramel sauce

I sure have been making a lot of this lately while I try to perfect my technique.  I've made so much that I sent a quart of this to the after school program yesterday.  I sent about 20 apples for the kids to slice and dip in it.  The Blog Tech said that when the kids ran out of apples, they drank the sauce from cups.  Ha ha, I don't blame them...this is good stuff!

Start by measuring out 2 cups of granulated sugar in a heavy pot.  Add 1/2 cup of water.

And 1 tsp. of corn syrup.  Mix this thoroughly.

 My first attempts were grainy so I altered the way I cook the sugar.  Start cooking it over medium heat and make sure that all the sugar dissolves.

Then turn the heat up to medium high.  You can see that it will start to turn amber around the edges.

Keep an eye on it because it can burn quickly at this point.

 If you stop the cooking progress at this point, you will have a light colored and light tasting caramel.

 I like mine when it is a golden amber color.  It makes a darker, tastier caramel sauce. When it reaches the desired color, add 12 tablespoons of room temp butter and whisk until it is melted.

 Use a deep pan because it bubbles up a lot.

 Add 1 tablespoon of vanilla extract.

 And slowly whisk in 1 cup  of room temp cream.

 If you want it to be salted caramel sauce, add 1 tablespoon of flaked sea salt.

 Whisk it until it is smooth.

 I ladle it into a canning jar and store it in the fridge.

 My family likes to dip honey crisp apples in it.

 Light, medium, dark and darker. It only takes about 20 minutes to make it.  Make sure you have all of your ingredients lined up and ready to go.