What's The Exact Temperature Needed For Caramel Sauce?
Caramel sauce is the perfect way to add some extra sweetness and richness to a range of desserts. And, it's even better if you make it yourself, such as with Tasting Table's salted caramel sauce recipe. However, there are a few key things you need to keep in mind to get it just right — including the temperature.
The caramel sauce is cooked on the stove, and it can be easy to accidentally leave it on for too long to make sure that it's done, which can mess up the consistency. Luckily, there's an easy way to keep track of exactly when it's done: the temperature. To achieve the texture of sauce, the caramel needs to reach 220 F — and no more. The higher the temperature, the thicker the caramel will become. When it reaches 245 F, it becomes much more chewy and firm, which may still taste like caramel but is not at all fluid like we want a sauce to be. So, next time you're making homemade caramel sauce, make sure to bring out the candy thermometer and keep an eye on the temperature of that precious sauce.
What to do if you accidentally overcook the caramel
Mistakes are bound to happen in the kitchen from time to time, so what should you do if you accidentally let the temperature of the caramel exceed 220 F? Luckily, caramel can be enjoyed in many forms, so you have some wiggle room. If this happens, it's best to let go of the sauce idea and focus on other ways you can still enjoy the caramel.
When it reaches about 245 F, caramel becomes chewy and firm. So, if you take it off the heat at this time, you can turn it into square caramel candy pieces. You can't exactly drizzle them over ice cream, but the squares are still a delicious treat. If you happen to let the temperature go way over 220 F, then you can turn it into a brittle. A temperature of about 300 F will give you the hard, breakable texture of brittle — just be careful not to crack a tooth. You can always try again to get that perfect texture of caramel sauce, so you may as well indulge in caramel's other forms if you happen to mess it up on your first try.