bowl of caramel sauce
Magone/iStock/GettyImages

Caramel sauce results either from cooking sugar until it browns or by thinning melted caramel candies. When a recipe calls for melting caramel candies, you can use a homemade caramel sauce to replace the melted caramels. Since caramel sauce has a thinner consistency, you must change your recipe for homemade caramel sauce to create a thicker sauce with the same consistency as melted caramel candies.

Mix together the white sugar, water and salt over medium heat, stirring continuously, until the mixture boils.

Boil the sugar and water without stirring until it turns a dark amber color, about 10 to 15 minutes. Swirl the pan as it cooks, but do not stir.

Remove the caramel sauce from the heat, and let stand until it thickens to the desired consistency. Do not add butter or cream to the caramel, which will thin the sauce and keep it from being like melted caramels.

Use this sauce to replace 1 cup of melted caramels (about a 14 oz. bag of whole candies) in your recipes. Follow the rest of the recipe calling for melted caramels as directed.