apple cider caramel sauce

Today we're talking happy accidents of the food variety. Last week my fabulous and trusty GPS took me to Ohio. However, it took me on all the backroads (aka Route 50) instead of the main road and, good thing for google maps, I loved every second of that drive. I saw corn fields with fruity pebble mountains in the background, prop planes splashed against a perfectly crisp fall sky, and the best thing of all, a 24-hour family owned donut shop in a little town called Londonderry that has been in existence for nearly 100 years! Talk about a happy accident! Those donuts were perfect and cheap. I got two for 98 cents. Ninety. Eight. Cents. I thought the lady was kidding me. I'm glad she wasn't. I want to move into that place. 

This caramel sauce? Also a happy accident! I was attempting to make these apple cider caramel candies and for some reason could not get them to set. The flavors were too good just to throw the caramel out, so I just warmed it up and used it as a warm sauce. This sauce is apple cider, caramelized sugar, and butter goodness. Make it right now!

Warm Apple Cider Caramel Sauce

adapted from this recipe from Dessert for Two

2 cups apple cider
4 tablespoons unsalted butter
3/4 cup brown sugar
3 tablespoons heavy cream
1/4 teaspoon cinnamon
3/4 teaspoons salt

In a small saucepan, boil cider until reduced to 1/4 cup. 

Once reduced, remove from heat and whisk in the butter, sugar, and heavy cream. Raise heat and bring mixture to 255 degrees.

Immediately stir in cinnamon and salt and pour mixture into a mason jar. Allow to cool before storing in the fridge. Serve on ice-cream, or these donuts. 

Have a great weekend everybody!