The Complete Guide for All Things Caramel | Southern Caramel (2024)

Introduction

A while back, the Huffington Post published an article with the name “Pumpkin Spice is Dead, Long Live Salted Caramel.” It’s no wonder; caramel is everywhere these days: in your favorite Starbucks drink, in viral TikTok recipes, and in popular candies. As a sweet ingredient, it’s becoming a staple in every household, restaurant, and coffee shop, because of how great it combines with all sorts of products – from alcoholic drinks to chocolate and nuts. However, what is it about caramel that has made it so popular? Why the hype now?

In this article, we will explore everything caramel: the history of how it was created, the ways it’s currently made, the products it’s in, and recipes you can make in the comfort of your own home. Let’s get started.

The Etymology of the Word “Caramel” and How We Should Pronounce It

There isn’t a consensus on where the word “caramel” comes from. In English, the word comes from French (caramel), which was borrowed from the Spanish caramelo. Another likely origin story is that the word is from the Latin phrase calamellus, which means “sugar cane,” which in turn finds its roots in the Greek word calamus, which means cane. However, there’s yet another possible origin of the word and that’s from the Latin cannamella, which combines two words: canna, meaning cane and mella, which stands for honey. But even that’s not a proven theory, as some say that the word comes from the Arabic kora-moħalláh = ball of sweet.

Regardless of where the word originates from, a strange fact is that many people pronounce it incorrectly in English, even now. So the question is, how do you pronounce the word caramel correctly?

The Cambridge Dictionary states that if you’re from the UK, you will likely emphasize the “care” part of the word, and so you will say “care-a-muhl.” However, people from the US will probably skip the middle syllable altogether and just pronounce it as “car-muhl.” But here’s the twist – there’s another way of saying the word that’s quite popular, and that’s “care-a-melle.” Which one is the right way?

Unfortunately, there’s no correct answer. Everyone has a different way of saying it, and it depends entirely on where in the world they grew up. Native English speakers from the UK and the US emphasize the “-muhl” ending, while people from around the world who studied English as a second language are more likely to say “-melle” since it’s closer to the way the word sounds in languages like French and Spanish.

That being said, the myth of the etymology of the word “caramel” leads us on an exciting journey to discover where caramel was first made and who named it.

The History of Caramel – When It First Originated and What It Was Used For

The history of caramel is a bit mysterious. Even though both caramel and caramel candies have been around for centuries, it is difficult to trace their exact origin. Some say that the Arabs were the first to discover caramel around 1000 A.D. It’s believed that it was a crunchy kind of caramel created by the process of crystalizing sugar in boiling water. The Arabs called it “kurat al milh,” which roughly translates into “sweet ball of salt.”

How caramel spread around the world is challenging to say, but it’s said that it came to America around 1650. However, it’s widely believed that milk and fat were added to the recipe in the 19th century to make the now-famous chewy caramel candy.

Today, the ways to make caramel vary in difficulty and produce different-tasting sweets. “Short” caramels tend to have a soft texture, while “long” ones are chewier. Along with that, caramel is now produced as a sauce and is a beloved topping for ice cream, coffee, and other desserts.

Let’s now explore the way we make caramel today.

How Do We Make Caramel Today?

In order to begin explaining how caramel is made, we first have to dive into what caramel actually is. The most simple explanation is that caramel is simply sugar that has been cooked until it browns. Granulated sugar or sucrose has no distinct smell, and its taste is sweet and simple. However, when it’s put on heat, it begins melting, which causes it to darken and develop different aromas and flavors that offer a more toasty kind of sweet taste. That’s because heat causes sucrose to break down into component sugars fructose and glucose. Eventually, these new sugar molecules also break down into other molecules and react with one another to make a whole new taste that’s more nutty, sour, buttery, and malty. These are usually the distinct aromas and flavors associated with caramelized sugar.

Usually, the caramelization process starts at around 320°F, when the sugar starts melting and becomes clear molten sugar. By the time the temperature reaches 340 – 350°F, the color will also begin to change to a pale caramel brown or light straw color. At this exact temperature, the caramel can be dripped from a spoon into strands that will get hard and glass-like once cooled. Chefs use this technique to make caramel cages for desserts like the croquembouche. If you let the temperature reach 355 – 360°F, the caramel will turn medium brown, and when cooled, it still will be hard, but not quite as brittle as its previous version. Once heated to 365 – 380°F, the caramel will get very dark brown, and once cooled, it will have a stickier, softer texture. It’s at this temperature when cream, butter, or vanilla are stirred into the mix to stop the browning process and create caramel sauces and candies. If you leave the caramel until the temperature reaches around 410°F, it will start to darken rapidly, and by the end, it will become baker’s caramel or black caramel, a more bitter-tasting and less sweet browning agent that’s used to color all kinds of sweet products from soft drinks to gravy.

How is Caramel Made?

There are two methods that are considered to be classic: wet and dry. The dry method involves taking sugar and heating it in a dry pan until it turns into a brown liquid. You should pay special attention to the process when doing this, as the sugar starts darkening rapidly and less evenly due to hot spots in the pan. It’s also helpful to use a wide pan so that you can spread the melting sugar into a thin layer that browns evenly.

The wet method is a bit more complicated. You have to take the sugar and moisten it in a pan with a bit of water. As the water dissolves it distributes the sugar and promotes even browning. However, as the sugar caramelizes, the water boils off, and so the wet method allows for a slower caramelizing process which supports more complex flavors. Because the sugar browns slowly, it’s also easier to create a light or medium brown caramel instead of a dark one.

What Can Go Wrong When Making Caramel?

So far, so good – the process seems simple enough, as long as you pay attention and have patience, but what can go wrong when making caramel? Let’s find out.

It can turn grainy

This usually happens when the caramel is made with the wet method, as the sugar recrystallizes more easily than during the dry method. When water and sugar boil, the syrup that gets made can splash onto the pot, where it quickly evaporates and turns back into sugar crystals. The problem here is that even if only one piece of these crystals falls back into the boiling mixture, it will cause a chain reaction that turns the once clear syrup grainy and opaque. If this happens, you should immediately remove the mixture from the heat and add a bit of water. Then you can return it to the stove and begin stirring until the crystals start to dissolve. However, it’s best if you don’t get to the point where you have to apply this technique, and there are a few ways to prevent such a situation from occurring:

• Remove any of the sugar crystals on the sides of the pot with the help of a damp pastry brush.
• Put oil on the sides of your pot before you start, as that will prevent sugar from sticking.
• If you see any grains of sugar on the side of the pot, cover the pot with a lid in order for steam to collect, as that will help dissolve the sugar crystals that may form.
• Additionally, you can add another ingredient to the mix. Typically, crystallization occurs in a pure solution; however, if you add just a bit of corn syrup, you minimize the possibility of crystal seed triggering a chain reaction. If you don’t want to use corn syrup, a few drops of acid (like vinegar or lemon juice) will do the same job, as they break the sucrose into glucose and fructose.
• Refrain from stirring until the syrup begins to turn brown in color, which is an indication that most of the water is boiled off. Before that, the liquid will likely still contain a few sugar crystals, which can trigger the unwanted reaction throughout the caramel if moved. Because that might happen, some recipes suggest swirling instead of stirring. Still, we’d advise you to simply leave the mixture alone until you start seeing some brown in the caramel and only stir once you see some parts of the liquid becoming darker.

It can burn

At some point, the sugar syrup will be heated enough to look brown, which indicates that more than 80% of the water is already gone. After that point, the boiling will start to increase at a rapid rate, and the syrup can easily go above the advised temperature range and burn. If you want to avoid this scenario, here’s what you can do:

• Prepare a bowl of cold water and keep it close to you. That way, when the desired caramel color is reached, you can place the bottom of your pan into the bowl and quickly cool the caramel before it gets too brown or burns.
• Choose a proper pot. If you choose one that’s too dark-colored, like cast iron or anodized aluminum, it can mask the caramel’s color, especially as the liquid starts darkening. Our advice is to use stainless-lined copper cookware or any other kind of stainless steel pan. If you don’t have one at hand and you only own dark pots, then you can place a stainless steel fork or spoon in the pan so that you can see the color of the sugar as it caramelizes. Along with that, opting for a deep skillet or a wide pan is a good idea since these offer a wider surface area and make the caramelizing process more even and faster.

What Ingredients Do You Need to Make Caramel?

Now that we know more about the process of making caramel, you might be wondering what ingredients you need to make the magic happen. As you might have already figured out, the main caramel ingredients are pretty simple and can be found in your pantry at any time: they are water and sugar. However, those are the ingredients you need for the most simple recipe. Most variations of caramel candy or sauces have cream, butter, and other flavors added in, in order to create different textures and tastes.

What Separates High-Quality Caramel From the One We See in Stores?

With everything we’ve told you so far about the process of making caramel and the ingredients needed to make it, you might be thinking, “Ah, well, that’s pretty easy to do.” However, as with almost anything else that seems easy, it only looks like that until you actually try making it.

The process of creating high-quality caramel sweets is complex and requires mastery, patience, and dedication. It’s impossible to follow a recipe from the internet and get an end product that tastes as if it was prepared in a five-star restaurant. To make special candy, you need to have a solid foundation. First, you need to have your own unique recipes that help turn such a seemingly simple candy into something that has a luxurious and exquisite taste. Then you need to perfect those recipes and reinvent them constantly, so that new and more flavorful candy can be made. Lastly, it’s impossible to create a high-quality end product without working with fine, expensive ingredients from the start. That’s why if you purchase caramel candies from the supermarket and the same product from a gourmet shop, you will notice the difference from the first bite.

Caramel sauces and candy you can find in supermarkets are mass made. They contain low-quality ingredients, tons of unhealthy artificial coloring and flavors, as well as preservatives and corn syrup. On the other hand, gourmet caramel is made only from high-quality ingredients such as sugar, butter, and cream. It contains no preservatives or artificial flavoring, making it not only a lot tastier but a lot better for you as well.

After all, if you want to enjoy some sweets, it’s far better to consume ones made from whole ingredients which you can name and recognize, instead of going for the ones from the store that are not only calorie-dense but also full of chemicals. To summarize, we can say that gourmet caramel stands out from what you can find in supermarkets, thanks to the following:

• The unique recipes used for its creation
• The high-quality ingredients used in the process
• The lack of unknown chemicals, preservatives, and other ingredients you wouldn’t want to consume

What Are the Different Variations of Caramel?

By now, you’ve learned about the different methods used to prepare caramel, as well as what ingredients are needed and how gourmet caramel differs from the one in stores. However, when we say caramel, what do you think of? Does an image of creme brulee pop into your head or the caramel drizzle that’s put on top of Starbucks drinks? Don’t worry. There’s no correct answer to this question. Caramel has many variations that are used both for desserts and for drinks. Let’s check out some of the more popular ones.

Caramel Candy

Caramel candy, often called “caramels,” is a chewy, soft, dense kind of sweet treat that’s made by boiling milk or cream, along with sugar, butter, and vanilla (or another type of flavoring). This is the most well-known caramel product (probably), and it’s a beloved sweet treat for many of us across different generations. You can find all sorts of caramel candies on the market – from traditional ones with a sweet, vanilla taste to more interesting ones with flavors like apple pie, cinnamon, or chocolate.

One of the most popular combinations for caramel is the one with salt. Salted caramel candies are amongst the most purchased variations of the candy, and that’s thanks to the unique combination of sweet and salty that they offer.

Caramel Sauce

Calling all Starbucks lovers – you know what caramel sauce is. After all, it’s a key ingredient in beloved frappuccinos and caramel macchiatos. Caramel sauce is made by mixing caramelized sugar with cream and adding flavors like liquors or vanilla. These sauces are used in drinks and many desserts, most notably as an ice cream topping.

Different variations of caramel syrups can be found on the market; however, most of them are made not from sugar but from corn syrup, which impacts the taste and makes them more unhealthy than the standard version. That’s why it’s a good idea to purchase caramel sauces only from handcrafted shops that make them using natural products.

Caramel in Desserts

Caramel is not only great as a stand-alone sweet treat. It’s also used for a wide variety of desserts. The most popular ones are caramelized apples, creme caramel, salted caramel cheesecake, and of course, the beloved caramel popcorn.

The Difference Between Caramel, Butterscotch, and Toffee

Along with the different variations of caramel, there are other two types of candy that are very similar to it: butterscotch and toffee. In order to understand the differences between these three, we first have to know precisely what they are. Seeing as we already discussed what ingredients are in caramel and how it’s made, let’s learn the same for toffee and butterscotch.

What is Butterscotch?

To make butterscotch candy, you need two ingredients: brown sugar and butter. They get melted together and just like with caramel, the brown sugar molecules start to break down and, thanks to the molasses found in brown sugar, caramelize to form a deeper and richer flavor compared to the one of classic caramel.

Butterscotch candy comes in various flavors, as often additional ingredients like salt, vanilla, or cream are added to the mixture.

What is Toffee?

To put it simply, toffee can be called “overcooked butterscotch” because it’s basically what it is. Toffee requires the same basic ingredients as butterscotch; however, the butter and brown sugar get gradually cooked to a temperature between 295 – 309°F.

What’s the Difference?

By looking at the recipes and the process of creating the sweet treat, you can see that the main difference between toffee, butterscotch, and caramel are some of the ingredients and the cooking method. With caramel, you need to use white sugar and water/milk/cream, while for toffees and butterscotch, you need brown sugar and cream/butter. Along with that, each of these candies is cooked at a different temperature in order for the desired taste to be achieved. Many people often use toffee as a synonym for caramel or butterscotch, but you now know that these are three different kinds of candy that are simply made similarly.

Cooking With Caramel – Recipe Ideas and More

Let’s start with the fun part – cooking with caramel. As we’ve already said many times, caramel is a very versatile sweet treat; it can be enjoyed as a standalone candy, but it can also be incorporated into tons of fun dessert recipes. In this blog post, we will share with you some of our favorite easy recipes that you can make using caramel and that are guaranteed to become the favorites of your friends and family.

Chocolate Covered Caramels

This one is for all the lazy cooks who just want to enhance a dessert and make it even more memorable. It’s especially good if you or your family are chocolate lovers who need the taste of cacao to truly enjoy a good sweet treat. The recipe is fairly simple, and you won’t need a ton of ingredients for it.

There are two ways to go about this recipe: you can either choose to make the caramels at home (which is a bit tricky), or you can buy gourmet caramels from local sweet shops (which we recommend). For our version, we suggest you get about 12 – 14 pieces of caramels with different flavors like vanilla, salted, apple pie, and more. Once you have the caramels at your disposal, it’s time to make the chocolate dressing. For it, you will need only a stove, a bowl, and some high-quality chocolate. Then simply do the following:

1. Boil some water and place an empty bowl above it.
2. Put chocolate pieces in the bowl and wait until they’re fully melted. If you want a more liquid consistency, you can add in some coconut oil.
3. Once the chocolate mix is fully melted, remove the bowl from the stove and set it aside.
4. Use a fork to dip your caramels in and out of the chocolate. Don’t forget to tap the fork on the edge of the bowl to remove the extra chocolate. Use another fork or a toothpick to help get the chocolate-covered caramel off the first fork and onto a cookie sheet lined with wax paper or parchment.
5. Repeat the process for all your caramels.
6. Optional: sprinkle them with sea salt (my favorite).
7. Set them aside for at least 20 minutes or until the chocolate has thoroughly cooled.

That’s it: a quick and easy recipe to make chocolate-caramel candy at home.

Homemade Caramel Apples

This is a classic fall dessert recipe that just feels cozy and sweet, which is why it’s one of our all-time favorites. With it, we guarantee you will be eating more than an apple a day. The good thing is that our version of the recipe is really easy to make and requires only two or three products: apples, caramel sauce, and sprinkles (or sea salt). Let’s see how you can make this recipe:

• The first thing you need to do is rinse and dry around eight or nine fresh apples. Usually, the apples you buy from the supermarket have a waxy coating that will prevent the caramel from sticking, so it is vital that you wash and dry them before starting the recipe. Additionally, make sure that the apples are cold as that will further ease the process.
• Remove the stems of the apples and put a wooden stick about ¾ down into each apple.
• Line a baking sheet with a baking mat or grease the sheet with some oil or butter. This is necessary because caramel usually sticks to parchment or wax paper.
• Get your caramel sauce. Here, you can opt to make one at home, or you can purchase one from a store near you. As always, we recommend that you choose a gourmet, preservative-free option.
• Once you have the bowl with the caramel sauce, you can warm it up a bit by placing it above a pan of boiling water. Don’t warm it up too much, just enough to make the coating process easier.
• Dip each apple into the sauce so that it’s gently coated. Once you’ve gotten sufficient amounts of caramel on the apples, place them on the pan you prepared. Repeat the process with all your apples.
• Let the caramel apples set for about 45 – 60 minutes before you start eating them.

Homemade caramel apples are a fantastic, kid-friendly snack as they’re one of those desserts that fall into the “healthy-ish” category, and if you make them with quality caramel sauce, you will ensure that your family is enjoying a sweet snack that’s not full of things you don’t even know how to pronounce correctly.

Of course, these are only two easy recipes with caramel in them. If you consider yourself to be a good chef, or you simply want to try more fancy caramel desserts, try looking for recipes for creme brulee or salted caramel pie. They’re a great sweet treat that can be served at the end of family dinners or nights with friends.

Best Foods You Can Pair With Caramel

One of the best things about caramel is that it goes well with so many other foods. There are endless combinations you can make with caramel, but here are our top favorites:

• Apples – That’s pretty obvious, considering the last recipe we offered, but simply eating a piece of caramel along with a fresh apple is a terrific combination. You don’t even have to go through the whole process of coating apples with caramel to experience the tangy yet sweet blend of the two flavors. It’s a great combo, especially during the fall. With a sprinkle of cinnamon to go along with the apples and caramel, you can be transported to heaven.
• Popcorn – Probably many of you are fans of the old-school butter and salt popcorn, but caramel-flavored popcorn is a must-have as well. It’s an excellent snack for chill movie nights in front of the TV and is perfect for any rainy day.
• Pretzels – The mix of sweet and salty is a proven winner and combining your favorite caramel candy with some salty pretzels makes for a great snack.
• Roasted nuts – Salted almonds, pecans, or brazil nuts are terrific in combination with some fine caramel candies. The distinct nutty flavor meshes excellently with the sweet notes of the caramel for a hearty, filling dessert.
• Ice cream – Caramel sauce on top of ice cream is a timeless combination that most of us love, especially if the ice cream is vanilla or chocolate flavored.
• Chocolate – Salted caramel candy + dark chocolate = match made in heaven. If you add in a bit of peanut butter to this combination, you will get an upgraded version of the beloved Reese’s cups.

There are, of course, many more foods that pair well with caramel, like waffles, pancakes, or French toast.

Caramel-Infused Drinks You Should Try

The one thing we love most about caramel is that it not only pairs great with other foods, but it’s also a terrific kind of sweet spice to add to drinks. Let us present to you some top-notch caramel drink combos that are guaranteed to become your fall favorites.

Coffee

Coffee + caramel = a true love story. That’s all we can say. Adding a bit of caramel sauce to a simple cup of espresso will turn your go-to morning drink into a luxurious dessert experience. Along with that, the internet is full of recipes that show you how to make Starbucks-like fancy drinks at home with just some milk, coffee, and a great caramel sauce. Overall, this is a top-notch combination that everyone needs to try.

Caramel Spiced Tea

This can quickly turn into your go-to caramel pre-bed drink. It mixes traditional chai tea flavors with some caramel syrup and caramel vodka – a blend that will quickly help you settle in for bed or for watching some shows on Netflix.

Bourbon

Okay, so technically, we won’t advise you to put caramel in your bourbon, but some caramel sweets on the side of a glass of bourbon make for a cozy combination for those cold nights. The richness of the alcohol combined with the sweet, tangy taste of the caramels will likely become a favorite during dinner with friends or movie marathons.

How to Store Caramel

How Do You Store Caramel Sauce?

If you choose to buy caramel sauce that lacks preservatives, you need to know how to store it in order to keep it fresh for a long time. The first thing is that caramel sauce should be stored in a heat-resistant, airtight container like a jar or a glass microwave-safe bowl with a lid. The caramel can be left out at room temperature for a couple of days; however, sooner or later, you will have to refrigerate it due to the dairy that is a key component of most caramels.

Can You Freeze Caramel Sauce?

If you want to keep your caramel sauce fresh for a bit longer, you can store it in a freezer for up to three months. However, you need to ensure that you do it properly. While it’s good to keep caramel sauce in a glass jar when you store it in a fridge, you might want to avoid glass when you freeze it. Instead, put your caramel sauce in an airtight plastic container. Once you want to use it again, just take it out of the freezer and let it warm to room temperature.

How Do You Store Caramel Candy?

If you already have your caramel candy that’s handmade and free of preservatives, you can wrap it in wax paper and twist the ends to keep it fresh for longer. Once the candy is covered, it can be stored at room temperature; the only thing is you have to store the candy in a place that’s free of moisture. If well-wrapped and stored in an airtight container, the candy can last for a few months.

Should You Freeze Caramel Candy?

If you really want to keep your caramel in a place that’s cool, dry, and out of any sunlight, then you can put it in the freezer. Just make sure that the candy is well-wrapped and placed in a proper container such as a plastic bag before doing so. After that, if you want to enjoy some caramel candy, let it first sit for at least one hour at room temperature before digging in, as otherwise, you might break a tooth or two.

Frequently Asked Questions About Caramel

1. How is Caramel Made?

Traditionally, caramel is made by heating sugar at a particular temperature until it melts and gradually turns brown. Usually, this process begins around 320°F, when the sugar melts and becomes a clear molten liquid. After that, if the temperature increases, the caramel will begin turning into a darker shade of brown.

2. Does Caramel Have Milk In It?

Some forms of caramel candy and sauces can have milk in them, but the traditional recipe for making caramel doesn’t include milk. That being said, most recipes for making caramel include some sort of a dairy product in them, regardless of whether that’s butter, cream, or milk. That’s done in order to make the caramel richer in flavor and to give it a softer, chewier texture.

3. What is Caramel Made Of?

The main ingredient in caramel is sugar. However, depending on the recipe you use, you may have to incorporate butter, heavy cream, water, or corn syrup as additional ingredients. High-quality, real caramel is always made with three basic ingredients and those are sugar, heavy cream, and butter. You don’t need corn syrup, preservatives, or artificial flavors; in fact, it’s best to avoid caramels that have those ingredients added.

4. Are Toffees and Caramel the Same Thing?

Even though they share some ingredients, toffees, and caramels aren’t the same things. Caramel is made with white sugar and maybe water or butter, while toffees are always made with brown sugar and butter. The two types of candy also have a distinct taste: typically caramel candies are chewier and softer, while toffees are a bit harder.

5. Is Caramel Vegan?

A lot of people ask, “Does caramel have dairy?” Unfortunately for some, caramel is not always vegan, but it certainly can be. The most basic recipe for making caramel is only melted sugar, which is vegan. However, most of the caramel candy or syrups you will find in stores aren’t vegan. Usually, they contain either butter, heavy cream, or milk, which give them their specific taste and texture.

6. What is the Difference Between Caramel and Butterscotch?

Both the ingredients used and the cooking method are different. To make caramel, you only need white sugar, which you heat to a particular temperature until it starts to liquefy and turn into a brown syrup. On the other hand, for butterscotch, you will need a combination of brown sugar and butter, which again gets heated to a particular temperature, but is typically lower than the one required for making caramel.

7. What Foods Can You Pair With Caramel?

You can pair many foods with caramel, both sweet and savory. Our top recommendations include roasted nuts (such as peanuts, almonds, or pecans), chocolate, and apples. Along with that, caramel candies are an excellent pair for a quality glass of bourbon or scotch and a great sweet treat to go along with your coffee.

8. Can I Use Caramel in Drinks?

Yes, of course! Caramel syrup is an excellent addition to coffee drinks such as a macchiato, frappuccino or frape. It’s also a perfect fit for any vanilla milkshake or a warm cup of hot chocolate. Even some co*cktail recipes have caramel syrup listed as an ingredient as it offers a way to balance the taste of alcohol with something sweeter.

9. What is Caramelization in Baking?

Typically in baking caramelization is the process of turning sugar into caramel. It naturally occurs when you heat up sugar to a certain temperature, which changes its texture, taste, and color.

10. How Do You Thicken Caramel Sauce?

If your caramel gets too runny, there are several ways to fix the problem. The first one is to let the sauce simmer on the stove until it thickens. Another option is to either change the ratio of sugar to milk in the recipe or alternatively replace the milk with heavy cream or butter. That way, you will effectively thicken the caramel while keeping the flavor similar.

What Are Popular Caramel Recipes?

We are not exaggerating when we say there are tons of popular, tasty recipes that have caramel at their core. Some of the ones you might have heard of are creme caramel, salted caramel apple pie, caramel cheesecake, caramel crisps, and more. Basically, there are all kinds of desserts that contain either caramel, caramel sauce, or caramel candy as a key ingredient, and they’re a great way to spice up your sweet treats and move away from the standard flavors of chocolate, vanilla, and strawberry.