Thick Caramel Sauce

1. Melt the sugar: In a heavy-bottomed saucepan, combine sugar and water over medium heat. Stir gently just until the sugar is dissolved, then stop stirring. Let it cook undisturbed until it turns a deep amber color.
2. Add butter: Carefully whisk in the butter. The mixture will bubble up—keep whisking until fully incorporated.
3. Pour in heavy cream: Slowly add the heavy cream while stirring constantly. The caramel will bubble vigorously, so be cautious.
4. Finish it off: Remove from heat and stir in vanilla extract (and salt if making salted caramel). Let cool for a few minutes before transferring to a jar.
5. Thicken further (optional): If you want it even thicker, let the caramel cool completely, then refrigerate for a couple of hours.

This sauce thickens beautifully as it cools and stays thick even when warm! Perfect for drizzling over cakes, ice cream, or even dipping apple slices. 🍏🍮

Would you like any variations or tweaks? 😊