This 3 ingredient butterscotch sauce is quick to make and goes perfectly well with cakes, tarts, pies, waffles and a lot more!
As a child, butterscotch to me meant only one thing – ice-cream. Cold creamy ice-cream with swirls of crunchy praline was my idea of ultimate indulgence! For something that I enjoyed for so many years, I’m almost embarrassed to admit that I actually had no idea what butterscotch was made of. It was only when I started baking professionally when I came into the realization that it was the magic of two simple ingredients – brown sugar and butter! Surprised?! Yes there actually is butter in butterscotch but no scotch. Although I may try that out someday too. Lol!
Some recipes may call for a few more ingredients such as cream, such as my own, or vanilla/salt to balance/enhance the flavour but often those can differ or be optional whereas the two main ingredients are a must. Salt is in reality an integral part of the butterscotch flavour too, however this recipe doesn’t call for the addition of salt separately since the butter we’re using is salted and adds plenty of flavour on its own.
If you are thinking that butterscotch sounds suspiciously similar to caramel, then you wouldn’t be wrong. Both are cooked sugar confections that use nearly identical ingredients. So what’s the difference then?
Butterscotch versus Caramel
The one main distinguishing factor is the kind of sugar used. Where caramel calls for white granulated sugar, butterscotch uses dark brown sugar. The other difference which I consider important is in the cooking process.
While caramel calls for heating white sugar until it’s melted and caramelized, butterscotch is essentially cooking brown sugar and butter together. The use of dark brown sugar – in itself an already caramelized flavour – adds more depth and a deeper nuttier flavour that’s comparable to molasses.
Try my recipe for an equally amazing salted caramel sauce here
How to make Butterscotch Sauce?
Simply add all the ingredients to a heavy-bottomed pan, and allow heat to do it’s thing. No waiting for sugar to caramelize, no sputtering of cream, nothing. Just wait till the sugar melts, and everything combines well, cook for a few minutes till the sauce is amber and ta-da, you’re done! Did I say this recipe was easier than caramel?
What can this butterscotch sauce be used for?
- Between cake layers
- In tarts and pies
- As a topping for ice-cream
- On waffles/pancakes
- To make milkshake
And any other creative way that you can think of.
Check out this quick video of the making of this butterscotch sauce
Looking for desserts that can go well with this butterscotch sauce? Check these out –
Butterscotch Sauce
Ingredients
- ⅓ cup Dark Brown Sugar 80g
- 2 tbsp Butter 28g
- 2 tbsp Fresh Cream 30ml
Instructions
Instruction
- Add the brown sugar, butter and fresh cream together in a heavy-bottomed pan.
- Stir all till combined, and cook on a medium-low flame. Allow it to come to a boil while stirring continuously.
- After cooking for 5-6 minutes in total, and once it comes to a boil, switch off the flame.
- Transfer the sauce to a clean, sterilized glass jar. Let it cool completely, then cover and refrigerate.
