Rumplestiltskin may have spun hay into gold, but here at Food Republic, we’re more partial to spinning sugar into golden, silky caramel sauce. There are many ways to do this, and the method you choose can be as simple as your taste preference and what’s available in your pantry, but no matter how many times you’ve made this wonderful sauce, there’s always a new method to try. One underrated variation is a three-ingredient caramel sauce that uses a secret staple you might not expect: soft drinks.
You heard us right: We’re putting cola in our caramel sauce. Sounds crazy, right? Well, not according to Odette D’Aniello, baking expert and CEO of Dragonfly Cakes, who called it a brilliant way to shortcut the caramel process. “It works because cola and brown sugar both bring in caramel-like flavors right from the start,” she said. “The cola has both sugar and acidity, which helps with flavor complexity as it reduces. Brown sugar adds molasses richness and helps with browning.” Cola is a surprisingly versatile ingredient, capable of enhancing dishes from grilled beer-can chicken to Alaska’s reindeer style hot dogs, but adding it to caramel sauce might be the best use yet of this magical liquid.
She went on to explain: “As the soda reduces, the sugars concentrate into a syrup while any spices or flavorings … become more pronounced, adding complexity without extra ingredients. The natural acidity helps cut through the sweetness, giving the caramel a deeper, more nuanced flavor.” Finally, add the butter and cream in order to create that velvety mouthfeel you’re going for.
The best ways to use soda to make caramel sauce
There are a few keys to ensuring this method yields the best quality sauce. The first one, according to Odette D’Aniello, is patience. “You want the soda and sugar to reduce by at least half before adding the butter and cream,” she noted. “You’ll know it’s ready when the bubbles get smaller and slower, and the syrup coats the back of a spoon. If you add the cream too early, it can curdle or thin out the syrup too much, and you lose that silky texture.”
The temperature of your dairy ingredients is also much more important than you might expect. “Also, make sure your cream and butter are room temperature,” D’Aniello commanded. “Cold ingredients can cause the caramel to seize or splatter. I usually remove the pot from the heat, stir in the butter until melted, then slowly whisk in the cream.”
As you may be able to tell, all of these tricks and reminders come down to one thing: precision. Caramel is a temperamental food that can turn quickly, so using the right pot color is another useful tip. A white pot will allow you to track the color changes as the caramel goes from transparent to golden brown and will help ensure it doesn’t burn. “And don’t walk away! Sugar work requires precision because any amount too long turns the sugars burnt and bitter,” D’Aniello told us.
To up the rich smoothness factor even more, one ingredient that can upgrade caramel sauce is sour cream. Mix it in with the cream before adding it to the heat, stirring slowly so the sauce stays uniform throughout.
