Day 7 – Countdown to Christmas 2013 Peanut Butter Caramel Sauce

So this sauce was not a planned thing. It actually came on by accident.  We had some contractor friends of ours over to help out with our never-ending remodel job.  I, being home, had to feed them.  Trust me, you come help work on the remodel and I’ll gladly feed you!  Since I knew I didn’t want to make anything heavy.  I wanted them to work after lunch not take a nap I opted to make Italian Rockets with a side of chips. Well when I posed the question of what type secretly hoping they didn’t hear my whisper Fritos®, they asked for Fritos.  Damn it.  LOL See I have an unnatural love of these things.  I actually blame my 3rd brother for this as he’s even worse than I am when it comes to them.  Those salty crunchy bites of corn heaven.  Shaped for scooping well…everything! Now I sat with with the guys while they, and Mr. Fantabulous inhaled lunch…and my Fritos (yes, they are mine) I made the mistake of grabbing one.  “Just one” I told myself.  Yeah.. right!  That never happens!  So after about a handful of ’em I rolled myself away from the table and cursed them and the bag.  NOW I had a craving for them.

As I cursed them I was working on a new Bark recipe and it was one of those where it involved 2 of my all time favorite foods ever – Fritos and Bacon. I know right! Anyway, I didn’t want just that and plain chocolate.  That’s okay but boring and one thing I don’t do is boring.  I mean seriously, I married Mr. Fantabulous after all and that man is anything but!  Anyway, as I stood there dipping my chips in peanut butter (shush.. don’t judge!  I’m allowed to have a bad moment!), it struck me that 1 – this was really awesome tasting and 2 – this bark needed peanut butter.  Thus this sauce…

This GLORIOUS sauce that begged to be eaten with a spoon. It is literally pure sin in a jar.  It’s so creamy and decadent but not sweet.  This is one of those “I have died and gone to heaven” sauces.

Now if you’ve never made caramel sauce from scratch it can be pretty intimidating. Normally I use a candy thermometer but this time I didn’t and it turned out perfectly.  What I do recommend is that you have a pastry brush handy, all of your ingredients measured and ready to go a BIG pot (high walls) and patience.  This doesn’t take long but it can get kinda of scary when you pour the cream in as it boils up super high and gets all kinds of angry mad at you.  Just like a woman as Mr. Fantabulous would say. LOL

So yeah as you can see this sauce was a total welcomed accident all thanks to my contractors and them wanting MY Fritos.

Speaking of…

Yeah I went total evil on these things with the sauce and I’m not apologizing.  Just um… don’t tell my trainer or my skinny pants.  Right now my fat pants and I are quite happy.  LOL

Day 7 – Countdown to Christmas 2013 Peanut Butter Caramel Sauce

• Author: The Kitchen Whisperer

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Ingredients

• 1 cup heavy cream
• 1/2 cup sugar
• 1/2 cup water
• 1 cup creamy peanut butter
• 3/4 cup light corn syrup
• 1/2 sea salt
• 1/4 tsp vanilla extract

Instructions

1. Add the heavy cream to a small saucepan and set over medium-low heat. You just want the cream to be lukewarm – don’t boil it.
2. Add the sugar and water to a second small saucepan and swirl the pan to combine.
3. Set over medium to medium-high heat and bring the mixture to a boil without stirring.
4. Cover the pan and continue cooking for two minutes.
5. Remove the cover and continue cooking (without stirring) until the caramel becomes amber in color. ~about 5-10 minutes.
6. While it’s cooking use a pastry brush dipped in water, gently wipe down the sides to remove any sugar crystals.
7. Remove from the heat and gradually whisk in the warm cream, mixing until the mixture is smooth.
8. Once smooth whisk in the peanut butter, corn syrup, salt, and vanilla until well combined and smooth.
9. Transfer to a heatproof jar.
10. Once cooled, store the sauce in the refrigerator for up to 1 week.
11. The sauce will thicken upon cooling. To reheat, just microwave for 30 seconds or so.

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