Classic Homemade Caramel Sauce

Instructions

1. Add sugar and corn syrup to a medium-sized stainless steel pot and set over medium heat.
2. Gently stir intermittently as sugar and corn syrup begin to melt. When sugar has fully dissolved, sauce should be a light to medium copper color.
3. Turn heat down to medium-low and continue to cook and stir to keep sauce from burning. Once sauce has reached a deep amber color, add butter and whisk carefully as it will bubble and fizz.
4. Continue to whisk until butter is fully incorporated then turn heat down to low and slowly add heavy cream while whisking vigorously. Again, be careful as hot sugar will sputter.
5. Once heavy cream is added, mixture might look as if it's separating. Keep whisking for approximately 6 to 8 minutes and eventually the sauce will emulsify into a silky caramel.
6. Turn off heat, whisk in salt and allow sauce to cool gradually. Whisk from time to time to keep a skin from forming while caramel is cooling.
7. Chef's Note: Total cooking time to achieve amber color and melt sugar is approximately 12 to 17 minutes. To make salted caramel, add 3/4 of a teaspoon of salt or more to taste.