How to Make Toffee Sauce for Ice Cream

What it means

• Toffee sauce is a soft syrup, not a candy: it relies on cream and a short simmer rather than the 300°F-plus hard-crack stage used for solid toffee.
• Brown sugar supplies the deep toffee/butterscotch flavor; a pinch of salt and a splash of vanilla round it out.
• It thickens as it cools, so keep it slightly thinner than you want while it is hot.

Action steps

1. Melt butter in a saucepan, then stir in brown sugar until dissolved.
2. Add heavy cream and a pinch of salt, bring to a gentle simmer, and cook 3–5 minutes, stirring, until smooth and glossy.
3. Remove from heat and stir in vanilla.
4. Cool a few minutes, then spoon warm over ice cream; refrigerate leftovers and rewarm gently.

Risks & deadlines

• Molten sugar and cream are very hot and can splatter when cream is added—add it slowly and off high heat.
• The sauce keeps only a few days refrigerated; discard if it smells or tastes off.