When you’re looking for a sugary treat, look no further than one that incorporates caramel – a beige to dark brown confection fashioned out of different types of sugars that have been slowly heated. Caramel goes a long way – such as filling the centers of candies, flavoring desserts, making cookies ooey and gooey, and serving as topping for ice cream and custards. If you’re looking for ways to use caramel in desserts, the following suggestions will help get you started.

Homemade Caramel Topping

Drizzling homemade caramel sauce or topping easily transforms vanilla ice cream into a heightened treat. For the most basic recipe, add about ½ cup of brown sugar to a small saucepan and around one tablespoon of butter (or margarine). Heat ingredients over medium heat, stirring constantly. The mixture will start to bubble. Continue to heat for at least one minute.

Depending on how thick or thin you want your caramel topping, adjust the amount of butter or brown sugar to this recipe. As the caramel topping cools, it will harden. Quickly drizzle on ice cream and popcorn for a quick treat.

Caramel Popcorn

You can use a homemade caramel topping to spice up a bowl of popcorn. For children, caramel is the glue that holds together popcorn balls – a popular treat often seen during the Halloween season. To enhance the gooiness of this caramel dessert, add marshmallow to your recipes.

Caramel Rice Krispie Treats

You may also substitute popcorn for Rice Krispies to enjoy more crunch. A quick recipe combines one stick of margarine, 15 pieces of caramels, and one can of condensed milk that is melted in a pan over a stove. Roll in the Rice Krispies once all ingredients have melted together. Refrigerate to harden.

Caramel Candies

Pralines, nougat, and crunchy brittle all rely on caramel for its flavor and texture. Most often, nuts are used to complete a recipe. The typical caramel candy is soft and chewy. A simple recipe may call for boiling milk or cream, sugar, butter, and vanilla extract together.

Bananas Foster

Made with bananas and vanilla ice cream, Bananas Foster is topped with a caramel sauce made from butter, brown sugar, cinnamon, dark rum, and banana liqueur. At some restaurants, the butter, sugar and bananas are cooked, followed by the addition of alcohol, which is then set afire tableside. The alcohol evaporates, leaving behind the flavor of rum. The bananas and caramel sauce are then served over the ice cream. Don’t worry – there are less intense variations for preparing Bananas Foster at home.

Caramel Apple

An easy caramel dessert to make is the caramel apple. Gather six apples, one 14-ounce package of individually wrapped caramels, and two tablespoons of milk. You will need Popsicle sticks or wooden craft sticks on hand to create the “holders.” Butter a baking sheet. Remove the stem from each apple and press a “stick” into the top. Place caramels and milk in a microwavable bowl and cook for two minutes – making sure to stir once. Allow the mixture to briefly cool. Roll each apple in the caramel sauce until it is coated. This step should be completed quickly. Place finished apples on wax paper or buttered baking sheet so that the caramel can set.

Crème Brulee

It’s not uncommon to come across crème brulee on the menu of a fancy restaurant. The dessert is comprised of a rich vanilla-flavored custard topped with a layer of hard caramel. While other parts of the world typically eat crème brulee cold, the United States has a habit of warming up the sweet treat. Depending on the recipe, the custard base could be flavored with lemon or orange zest, coffee, chocolate, fruits, and even liqueurs.