Ingredients

•  150 g white sugar or castor sugar
• 150 g soft brown or molasses sugar
• 75 g unsalted butter*
• 200 ml single or double cream
• 75 ml golden syrup, honey or maple syrup
• 1/4 tsp salt ( *if unsalted butter)

Method

1. First have your tin ready, and everything measured. Heat the first 150g white sugar with 25ml water in a pan until it turns a rich reddish brown
2. Then remove the pan from the heat and add the butter Add the remaining sugar, your choice of syrup, the cream and salt, return to the heat and bring to the boil, watching that it doesn’t boil over. Then reduce the heat slightly and simmer for about three or four minutes, or till it reaches 113C (235F) for an all-purpose caramel sauce .
3. This caramel sauce can be stored in a covered jar in the fridge for up to 2 weeks and reheated when needed.
4. For a firmer caramel toffee, continue to 127C/260F for a soft set and 130C/266F for a firm set. Then remove from the heat and leave for a minute to let the bubbles subside. Swirl the pan gently to remove any remaining bubbles then pour while still hot into the tin, quickly scraping it out of the saucepan with a spatula, and leave until cold. You can grind sea salt on top for salted caramels. Shape toffees into squares and wrap in individual wax paper. Store in a sealed container if you can resist eating them right away!

Makes a lovely gift in a jar as well.

Variation

(For the proportions above) Toasted brazil nut and orange caramels: all white sugar, butter, double cream, golden syrup, salt, plus, stirred in gently at the end, the finely grated zest of two oranges and 100g coarsely chopped and oven-roasted brazil nuts.

Recipe from Dan Lepard: www.theguardian.com