Caramel Sauce

Someone had a birthday recently, and Mister Man and I invited her to choose her own birthday menu (including the birthday cake). After lengthy deliberation, she decided upon a traditional roast beast dinner with the Banana Chocolate Chip Cake from my favourite cake cookbook Sky High: Irresistible Triple Layer Cakes.

The cake was tasty, albeit challenging to slice and serve. In fact, we thought that it might be better as a Banana Chocolate Chip Trifle, so that we could do away with the slicing altogether!

The recipe called for a caramel sauce, but didn't have instructions for a homemade one. Of course I was reticent to use a bottled sauce from the grocery store, so I went to my SECOND favourite cookbook (the interwebs) and let my fingers do the walking.

It wasn't long before I came upon The Gourmet Warehouse website. This store is a local fave and features nifty cooking and baking apparatus as well as gourmet food items. (I could live in there - all hunkered down amidst the baking aisles.....sigh...) They also have a demonstration kitchen and a knowledgeable staff! The store is run by Caren McSherry, a local chef extraordinaire. The website ALSO features recipes, including THIS one for Perfect Caramel Sauce.

I have to tell you that not only is this perfect, it is easy! So today I'm going to share this recipe with you because who doesn't need a good caramel sauce recipe in their arsenal? (and the cake is too darn complex to get into at this busy time of year!!)

Perfect Caramel Sauce (a la Caren McSherry)

2 cups granulated sugar

1 teaspoon fresh lemon juice

2 Tbsp water

2 cups heavy cream at room temperature (35% butterfat)

In a heavy-bottomed saucepan or copper sugar boiler combine the sugar, lemon juice and water. Bring to a boil and continue to boil until the sugar begins to turn a light amber. At this point it darkens very fast, watch it carefully. The darker the colour gets the deeper the flavour becomes. Take care not to burn it. Slowly whisk in the cream, it will spit and spatter so be careful. Cool to room temperature, pour it on EVERYTHING.Will keep refrigerated for up to 10 days.