How to achieve a thin caramel sauce/coating that stays fluid when refrigerated
I want to make a caramel coating for cheesecake, or other cakes, that stays fluid in the fridge, and doesn't become hard/solid.
I don't mind if the caramel sauce/syrup contains any butter/milk or not; if it's only made by sugar and water is OK.
I made a caramel sauce, which was fluid for some time, but when I coated the cheesecake and put in the fridge, it became solid and I just sticked this out and threw it away.
If you have a recipe for this I would be glad to hear about, just as long as it is caramelized sugar, not clear syrup (slightly heated water plus sugar).
Best Answer
If you make caramel acidic, it won't harden. So use cream of tartar (neutral taste) or lemon juice (easier availability) to create a non-hardening sticky caramel fluid.
I am not sure if you can add dairy (milk, cream, butter, etc). to acidified caramel, but there is a small chance that it will curdle, so I'd advice you to use clear caramel (browned sugar and water only).
I don't know how much acid you need to keep caramel at a certain viscosity at a given temperature, you'll have to experiment for that. Or maybe somebody else can supply this information. IIRC, a good starting point is a tablespoon of lemon juice per 100g sugar, but this is very imprecise.
The other option would be to make a semifluid sauce (cream, or starch-thickened milk, or diluted syrup) and add caramel to it, but the taste would be much weaker. My preference would be the clear caramel + acid route.
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How do you keep caramel sauce from getting hard?
To help prevent the caramel from crystallizing, you can add an acid to the sugar before you begin: add about half a tablespoon of lemon juice to each cup of sugar and mix it with your hands; it should be the consistency of wet sand.Why is my caramel so thick?
Keep in mind that the caramel will thicken significantly once cool. Likewise, if the caramel is too thick, thin by stirring a tablespoon or two of heavy cream. To store, keep refrigerated in an air-tight container. To warm, place in the microwave for 30 seconds to heat through.Does caramel sauce harden in fridge?
Plus, popping it in the fridge will keep your caramel sauce fresher for longer. The caramel sauce will harden slightly because of the introduction of a colder temperature, but storing it in a proper container in the fridge will keep it fresh and ready to use for 2 to 3 weeks.Does caramel sauce thicken in the fridge?
Caramel Sauce thickens in the fridge. You can gently reheat it in the microwave to more pourable consistency.Homemade Caramel Sauce
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Answer 2
I just made caramel sauce for the first time with very simple ingredients: water, sugar, cream and vanilla this recipe. The recipe asked for heavy whipping cream and I used half and half instead because it was all I had. My sauce turned out very very thin, but still rich with flavor. It has been in the fridge for a day and still flows like liquid.
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