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Serendipity. That’s what you call a fortunate happenstance. As in, “It’s serendipity that this caramel dip turned out so well, even though I was trying to make Dulce de leche.” You see, this sauce tastes just like a caramel apple from the fairgrounds, but it was created by a stovetop flop.
Remember the Caramel in a Can craft that I posted before? Well, I received a number of comments from people who wanted to cook the sauce before giving it as a gift. Even though it’s still a lovely gift, it’s more suited for someone who appreciates a clever kitchen craft, as the fun is in the making. Plus, the can gets a little beat up in the cooking process so I decided to do a recipe for a finished version instead.
As opposed to cooking the sweetened condensed milk in a crockpot overnight, I created a makeshift double boiler on my stovetop and cooked it there. I must say that after two hours in the pot it was getting quite thick and not nearly dark enough. I added some brown sugar and cream and whisked that in. It cooked a bit longer and when the sugar melted and the cream was cooked in the flavor was amazing! It tasted just like the melted caramel squares (or sheets) used to make caramel apples. Serendipity!
- 1 can sweetened condensed milk
- ½ - 1 cup 18% cream (half-and-half)
- ¼ cup brown sugar
- 2 fresh apples
[/url]- Empty the sweetened condensed milk into the top of a double boiler or make one by setting a metal bowl on top of a pot of simmering water. Make sure the water is not touching the bottom of the pot, as it's the steam that heats up the bowl.
- Stir the milk with a whisk and turn the heat down to medium low. Let the milk thicken and cook for an hour to an hour and a half, whisking it regularly (I whisked mine every 15 minutes).
- When the mixture is a golden color and quite thick, add the brown sugar and ½ cup cream. Whisk to combine and let cook for another 30 minutes. The mixture will be thick and a rich caramel color. You can pack this caramel sauce up at this stage if you like it quite firm. Keep in mind that it will set up when it cools so if you want it to be as firm as you would normally spread on a caramel apple, then this is the time to ladle the sauce into glass jam jars.
[/url]- If you prefer a runnier sauce, add another ½ cup of cream and whisk away. Cook for another 15 minutes then ladle into jars.
- Present caramel sauce with a fresh, red apple wrapped in a clear cellophane bag. Now this is handmade gift that looks beautiful and can be enjoyed right away!
Used In This Project:
- Diamond Hang Tags • I chose the “Chalkboard” style in tuxedo.
- Circle • I chose the “Chalkboard” style in tuxedo.
More Edible Gift Ideas:
Homemade Pumpkin Spiced Biscotti Homemade Vanilla Extract S’more Fun Kits Pumpkin Apple Bread
Shop Our Food/Craft Collection:
Stephanie Rose is a gardener who lives in Vancouver, BC, Canada, where she has grown over 100 edibles, 400 perennials, and countless other plants in her small urban yard; a hobby that continues to grow with each season. Stephanie writes DIY garden projects, yummy recipes and crafty goodness at Garden Therapy where she hopes you will find something to inspire you to get outside for a little, well, garden therapy.
My daughter-in-law wants me to make this for wedding favors. What’s the shelf life? does it need to be refrigerated?
Hi Melinda, thanks so much for your question! The shelf life of the caramel sauce is 1 week (refrigerated)