Saturday, January 23, 2010

Easy Butterscotch Sauce/Saturday Blog Showcase



 I saw this a while back on Smitten Kitchen and I felt compelled to make it.  It was quick and easy and delicious. I used light brown sugar and I think if I make it again I will use dark. Everyone here enjoyed it but I felt that it hardened too much upon contact with the ice cream. Not a terrible thing, but I would prefer the sauce to stay more creamy and sauce like. So I am still on the hunt for the perfect Butterscotch Sauce. The flavor was a bit salty and sweet...that was right on...so I just need to play with this a bit...but it is quick and if you find yourself with some vanilla ice cream and a yen for something to put on top of it...this may well be just the ticket!

Easy Butterscotch Sauce
Adapted loosely from the Washington Post, who adapted it from The Perfect Cake via Smitten Kitchen
Yield: About 2/3 to 3/4 cup sauce
1/4 cup (4 tablespoons, 2 ounces or 1/2 stick) unsalted butter
1/2 cup packed dark or light brown sugar
1/2 cup heavy cream
1/2 teaspoon flaky sea salt (or 1/4 teaspoon regular salt), plus more to taste
1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract, plus more to taste
Melt butter in a medium heavy-bottomed saucepan over medium heat. Add the sugar, cream and salt and whisk until well blended. [A flat whisk works great here.] Bring to a very gentle boil and cook for about five minutes, whisking occasionally.
Remove from heat and add one teaspoon of the vanilla extract, stirring to combine and this is where, despite the simplicity of the recipe, you get to feel all “chef-y”. Dip a spoon in the sauce and carefully taste the sauce (without burning your tongue!) to see if you want to add additional pinches or salt or splashes of vanilla. Tweak it to your taste, whisking well after each addition. I ended up using a full teaspoon of flaky salt and the listed amount of vanilla to get a butterscotch sauce with a very loud, impressive butterscotch flavor but the strength of your vanilla and intensity of your salt may vary.
Serve cold or warm over vanilla ice cream. The sauce will thicken as it cools. It can be refrigerated in an airtight container and reheated in a microwave or small saucepan.
To do ahead: This sauce will keep at least two weeks in an airtight container in the fridge.


I have not been around much in the last week...we are all under the weather here. Not too much time for blogging unfortunately...but I have been checking in on all of my friends when I can...


Thanks to my sweet friends Ann and Lori for co/ hosting the Saturday Blog Showcase.....today is Ann's turn....thanks so much ladies for hosting this!

Have a great weekend everyone!

17 comments:

  1. Ive been looking for a recipe for butterscotch sauce!!! this loooks marvellous n the recipe is easy.. A keeper n Ill be using it soon enough! Thnaks :)) beautiful photos!

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  2. Oh u said it hardened on contact wth the ice cream? perhaps its ok with crepes?...since thats what Id like to use it for. ill try it anyway cos it looks good!hope ull post wen u get the perfect one! :))

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  3. I have one in mind to try....will let you know...
    It tasted great...I just need to play around with the texture...

    Maybe I will add more cream after it becomes butterscotchlike!LOL...
    That might work!

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  4. Ok maybe hard is the wrong word here...it got chewy...chewy is the right word!

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  5. Hi Linda ~ It looks so good! Your images are beautiful ~ we would love this.

    I hear you about the texture changing when it meets up with the ice cream. But I know I would love it anyway! ;)

    ((Hugs)) to you my friend and thank you for sharing! Nobody around here would turn this down. *grin*

    xo

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  6. Are you all feeling better now? Hope all is good, Linda. I am crazy over butterscotch. I never really thought of making my own - but now that you mentioned how easy it is, what's stopping me, huh? ;) Lovely photos, my friend!

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  7. Linda, it looks so melty and sexy on the ice cream... great photo... is chewy such a bad thing with caramel?
    Butterscotch pudding is one of my favorite things... sauce would be amazing!!

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  8. HMMM I am making a Toblerone Cheesecake for my DD's bday and it calls for a caramel/butterscotch sauce..:) This would work well..I must admit for some reason that first photo of yours reminded me of my youth!!Beautiful Linda~

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  9. Oh Linda, That looks so good. I'm a big fan of Caramel/Butterscotch sauce. I use it on many different desserts.

    Thanks for sharing on the Saturday Blog Showcase.

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  10. This looks like a great butterscotch sauce! I actually like it when it hardens a bit when it hits the ice cream. I can't wait to try this!

    Sorry you've not been feeling well. Hope you're better soon.

    Happy Saturday Blog Showcase to you!! :D

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  11. If I could stick a spoon into my computer screen and eat this right now I would. Mouthwatering!

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  12. Thank you all for your kind comments.
    I am going to try another one by Shuna Fish Lydon that this recipe was actually based upon...I will report back with the differences...
    That said I think this would be fabulous on cheesecake or even any cake...and it will not seize up like on the cold ice cream....
    L~xo

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  13. Linda......This is most better then amazing. It is one of my most fave flavurs to put over ice cream...... great pics too.

    Thanks for sharing!!!!

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  14. Butterscotch sauce is my favorite, even more than chocolate. Yum, I can imagine it on crepes or cheesecake. It would be perfect for desserts other than ice cream.

    I'll look through my mom's files. Maybe she has something for ice cream.

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  15. I think I sense "the perfect butterscotch sauce" on it's way soon...I'll standby. What fun trying....hope you're all feeling better.

    Diane

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  16. This sauce sounds de-lish. I'm bookmarking it right now!

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  17. The sauce sounds so yummy and loved the pot cleaning idea you gave Annie on From the Cookbook Shelf.

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