How do you make sugar even better? Throw it in a hot pan, give it a good swirl and wait until it turns a beautiful golden brown. Add some water to keep it liquid, a knob of butter or cream to create a rich sauce or let it cool and bash it up into shards for an easy way to decorate desserts. Whatever you do with it, the process of turning sugar into caramel is always going to have delicious results – provided you don’t let it burn.
Caramel’s rich, sweet flavour makes it an obvious choice for cooks looking to create a dessert with a difference, and its versatility means it is suited to everything from cakes and tarts to mousses and sauces. Cook one of these six caramel-filled recipes for your next dinner party for a stunning end to the meal, and take a look at our full recipe collection here.