Amaretto-Caramel Sauce

Notes

• Reduce cream to about 250 g (1 cup) for thicker caramel sauce

Ingredients

• 338 g (1½ cups) caster (superfine granules) sugar
• 10 ml (2 teaspoons) freshly squeezed lemon juice
• 475 ml (2 cups or 16 ounces) heavy cream, 35%, room temperature
• 15 ml to 45 ml (1 to 3 tablespoons or ½ to 1½ ounces) Talea Italian Amaretto Cream liqueur or Disarrono Amaretto liqueur
• 57 g (4 tablespoons or ¼ cup) unsalted butter, cut into 4 equal pieces, room temperature

Steps

1. In a heavy-bottomed, 6-litre (6.3-quart) stockpot over medium heat, combine the sugar and lemon juice.  Stir with a large, flexible rubber spatula until most of the sugar has dissolved.  At this point set aside the spatula and swirl the pan over the heat to keep the colour of the caramel even throughout.
2. Cook until the sugar syrup turns a medium amber colour.  (Don’t walk away or turn your head, not even for a second, because the sugar can quickly darken and you also run the risk of burning the sugar.  Burnt sugar causes the caramel to taste quite bitter  (and you’ll have to start the process again) – not at all what you want in a caramel sauce.)
3. Gradually add the cream, whisking constantly (don’t be concerned if the caramel hardens at this stage just continue to add the cream while whisking).
4. Bring the mixture back to a boil over medium heat; boil for 5 minutes, whisking constantly (any hardened caramel should have melted by this point).
5. Remove from heat; strain (to remove any bits of hardened caramel) caramel through a fine mesh sieve into a small bowl.
6. Add liqueur 1-tablespoon at-a-time, tasting after each addition (be cautious when tasting the caramel is extremely hot).
7. Whisk in the butter, set-aside to cool completely.
8. Cover and transfer to refrigerator to chill until thickened.