Bourbon Caramel Sauce

This silky sauce, which earned our Test Kitchens' top rating, capitalizes on bourbon's oaky spirit. It's delicious over low-fat vanilla ice cream, pound cake, or bread pudding. Cover the surface of any leftovers with plastic wrap (to prevent a skin from forming).

Yield: 1 1/3 cups (serving size: about 1 tablespoon)

Ingredients

• 1 1/2  cups  sugar
• 2/3  cup  water
• 2  teaspoons  light-colored corn syrup
• 1/4  cup  evaporated low-fat milk
• 1/4  cup  fat-free half-and-half
• 1  tablespoon  butter
• 3  tablespoons  bourbon

Preparation

Sprinkle sugar in an even layer in a large, heavy saucepan. Combine 2/3 cup water and syrup; pour over sugar. Cook over medium-high heat until sugar dissolves (about 4 minutes), stirring gently. Cook an additional 20 minutes or until golden (do not stir). Remove from heat. Gradually stir in milk, half-and-half, and butter using a long-handled wooden spoon (mixture will bubble vigorously). Cook over low heat until mixture is smooth, stirring constantly. Remove from heat. Stir in bourbon. Serve warm. (Mixture thickens as it cools.)

Nutritional Information

Calories:

90 (8% from fat)

Fat:

0.8g (sat 0.5g,mono 0.2g,poly 0.0g)

Protein:

0.3g

Carbohydrate:

20.2g

Fiber:

0.0g

Cholesterol:

2.5mg

Iron:

0.0mg

Sodium:

14mg

Calcium:

13mg