Butterscotch sauce was an all but extinct, or out-of-date, substance and flavor until recently. Now it’s all the rage. Wouldn’t you like to know exactly what butterscotch sauce is and how to make it?
What Is Butterscotch Sauce?
Historically, butterscotch was a hard candy made with unprocessed sugar. The suffix “scotch” means “to cut”. When sugar or candy is hot it’s difficult to get a clean break, so one must score it while warm to facilitate getting a clean edge later. Today, butterscotch is considered a flavor, much like caramel. Made famous at soda fountains by accompanying banana splits, butterscotch sauce has been an American favorite since the 1950’s. Although most Americans are familiar with butterscotch pudding, in recent years, what’s been readily available is an artificially flavored shadow butterscotch. My hope is that once you see how easy butterscotch is to make, you’ll never go back to the imposter. If you only have salted butter, you can use it instead. Just be sure to reduce the salt in the recipe. Speaking of salt, this recipe calls for a lot of it—up to a one teaspoon. While it may seem excessive, trust us. The salt sets off the brown sugar and butter flavors, much the same way it does in salted caramel. The recipe specifies kosher salt, but it’s perfectly fine to substitute regular salt but use a little less.
How to Make Butterscotch Sauce
Your homemade butterscotch sauce will easily best any artificially flavored topping you might buy at the store. There are only three main steps: After that, all you have to do wait until it’s cool enough to drizzle over ice cream, or whatever else you can dream up!
Why Avoid Ultra-Pasteurized Cream
Ultra-pasteurized cream has stabilizers that can sometimes add bitter flavors to recipes with a lot of cream, like this one. It’s best to avoid it if possible. Look for regular pasteurized heavy cream at health food stores or local grocers. We’ve had luck finding it at Trader Joe’s. If ultra-pasteurized cream is all you can find, it’s fine to substitute, but know the flavor might be somewhat affected.
Butterscotch vs. Caramel Sauce
What’s the difference between butterscotch and caramel? Butterscotch and caramel are both cooked sugar. But the main difference between the two is the sugar used to make them. Caramel is often made with regular white granulated sugar, while butterscotch is made with brown sugar. Caramel sauce doesn’t always have butter, while butterscotch always calls for butter. Both benefit from a bit of added salt, but butterscotch, especially, doesn’t get its trademark flavor until you add some. The same goes for vanilla.
Troubleshooting Tips
To keep your sauce from separating, be sure not to stir too much while the brown sugar is melting. Use moderate heat to ensure it doesn’t burn.The butterscotch will thicken a lot when it cools, so it’s important not to cook it too long.
What to Serve with Butterscotch Sauce
Butterscotch isn’t just a topping for ice cream, though that’s a great start.
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The sauce will be slightly darker in color but won’t seem very thick (it will thicken as it cools). If you don’t have a candy thermometer, it’s better to err on the side of less simmering than more. After tasting, add up to another 1-1/2 teaspoons of vanilla extract and up to another 1/2 teaspoon of salt, tasting as you go until the marvelous taste of real butterscotch is achieved. Remember to let the small spoonfuls of sauce cool between tastings. Store butterscotch sauce in a glass container with a tightly fitting lid only after sauce has chilled completely. It will keep for one month refrigerated, that is, if you can keep from eating it all!
