We recently attended a Halloween party at our friends’ house. I always like to bring something along for everyone to munch on, but for this particular party, I was having a tough time deciding what to bring. “What should I bring?” I asked my husband. “Caramel!” he responds. I was caught off guard, “Caramel? But that’s for Christmas!” “No it’s not,” he replied, “Caramel apples, you know?!” “Okay, fine… I’ll figure it out,” I replied.
All it took was one glance at this recipe and I knew it was the one!
Start by gathering up your ingredients.
See the chocolate? Yeah, I decided not to use it. The original recipe calls for 2 oz of bittersweet chocolate, so feel free to add it in if you wish.
Mix together the sugars, corn syrup, and water. Bring it to a boil and stir often.
Cook until the mixture becomes really bubbly. Make sure to cook it long enough, otherwise, it won’t turn out quite right. Not that I know from experience…
See the butter, cut up and ready to go? It needs to be this bubbly before you add it.
For the next part, stand back! When you add the cream and butter, it should bubble up in almost an explosive manner.
Stir it as soon as it’s done going crazy. Stir, stir, stir until it’s all combined. Then, add your rum, vanilla, and salt.
Serve the caramel in a fondue pot or a crock pot on low. Keep an eye on it, stirring it occasionally. And try to keep from eating it with a spoon!
Caramel & Rum Fondue
Adapted from Delicious Dips
1 cup firmly packed brown sugar
1 cup white sugar
1/2 cup light corn syrup
1/4 cup water
1 1/2 cups heavy whipping cream
1/2 cup unsalted butter, at room temperature
2 tablespoons dark rum
2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
dash kosher salt
In a deep saucepan, combine the sugars, corn syrup, and water over medium heat. Bring to a boil, stirring frequently. Cook until the mixture becomes deep amber color and is very bubbly, about 10 minutes. Remove from heat. Step back from the pan and add the cream and butter; it should bubble up violently. Stir vigorously to combine the butter and cream into the sugar mixture. Return to low heat and add rum, vanilla, and salt. Stir until smooth and creamy, about 2 minutes. Transfer to a fondue pot or crock pot on low and serve immediately.
Makes about 2 1/2 cups
