To make caramel, the basic process involves heating sugar until it melts and undergoes caramelization, turning into a rich amber liquid. Here is a straightforward method to make caramel sauce:

1. Heat Sugar: Place granulated sugar in a dry, heavy-bottomed saucepan over medium heat. The sugar will first clump, then melt into a smooth amber-colored liquid as it caramelizes. Avoid stirring too much; instead, you can gently swirl the pan to distribute heat evenly. This takes about 5 to 6 minutes

2. Add Butter: Once the sugar is fully melted and caramelized, add sliced butter and stir until it melts and combines with the caramel. Be cautious as the mixture will bubble vigorously

3. Add Cream: Slowly pour in warm heavy cream while stirring constantly. The mixture will bubble up again. Continue stirring until smooth. This step creates a creamy caramel sauce

4. Finish: Remove from heat and stir in a pinch of salt and optionally vanilla extract for flavor. Let the caramel cool slightly; it will thicken as it cools

Tips:

• Use a heavy-bottomed pan to prevent burning.
• Be attentive throughout the process as caramel can burn quickly.
• If sugar crystals form on the pan sides, brush them down with a wet pastry brush to avoid grainy caramel

• For salted caramel, add extra salt at the end

• Store caramel sauce in the refrigerator and reheat gently before use

This method yields a smooth, rich caramel sauce perfect for drizzling over desserts or using in recipes. For making caramel candies (soft caramels), additional ingredients like butter, corn syrup, sweetened condensed milk, and precise cooking to specific temperatures are used

. In summary, caramel is made by carefully melting sugar, then incorporating butter and cream, and finishing with salt for flavor and balance