Cinnamon Salted Caramel Sauce

Instructions

1. PREP: Before starting this recipe measure out all of your ingredients and gather anything you need so that once the sugar starts caramelizing you are ready to go. It moves quickly. It would also be wise to have a bowl of ice water nearby just in case the sugar spatters.
2. In a heavy gauge saucepan at least 3 quarts in size (you can use a bigger pan, but do not use a smaller pan) add the sugar (200 grams/ 1 cup) and the water (113 grams/ ½ cup). Gently stir to completely saturate the sugar, being careful not to splash sugar granules up the side of the pan.
3. Turn the heat on to medium. The sugar will start to dissolve in the water and will come to a boil. As the mixture boils, the water will begin to evaporate off and the liquid sugar will start caramelizing. Stay close by because when the caramelization process happens it moves very quickly. Do not stir during this process or you risk re-crystallizing the sugar resulting in a gritty texture. If the sugar is caramelizing unevenly, gently swirl the pan to even out the color.
4. Once the sugar smells nutty and is a deep golden brown, carefully pour all of the heavy cream (235 grams/ 1 cup) into the pan and stir vigorously. The mixture will bubble up quite a bit, so a long handled spoon or spatula is your best tool here.
5. Add the salt (2 teaspoons) and cinnamon (¼ teaspoon) continue cooking and stirring the mixture until it thickens, about 3-5 minutes.
6. If you are using this as a warm sauce, a thermometer is not needed. Cook until thickened. However, a candy thermometer can help you reach a more accurate final texture. As the caramel reaches higher heat, it will become more hard in texture once cooled. At 210-215°F/ 99-101°C the mixture will be liquid right out of the refrigerator and very thin when warm. At 225°F/ 107°C it will be runny when warm and thick when cooled. Cooking the mixture to 250°F/ 121°C will give you a soft chewy caramel texture once cooled that is perfect for covering apples.
7. Remove the sauce from the heat and pour into a heat resistant container. A mason jar is perfect. Store in the refrigerator for up to 1 month. If making caramel apples, pour into a bowl and allow the caramel to cool to about 215°F/ 101°C before dipping your apples.