Ingredients
- Large, deep, non-stick skillet (a skillet meant for stir-fry works well)
- Silicone spatula
- 8" x 8" non-stick baking pan
- 3 cups brown sugar
- 1 cup 35% whipping cream
- 1 tsp vanilla or maple flavouring
Preparation
In the skillet, stir together the brown sugar and cream until well mixed.
Over high heat, bring the mixture to a boil while stirring constantly.
Reduce heat to medium high making sure the mixture remains at a boil and, again, stirring constantly.
Once the mixture becomes foamy (approximately 5 to 10 minutes of boiling), scoop some of the mixture up with the spatula and then let it pour back into the skillet.
When the mixture begins to create strings (resembling soft caramel) as it drips of the spatula, it is near ready to be removed from the heat.
Test a spoonful of the mixture for readiness by pouring it into a cup of ice water.
If it forms a chewy, sticky ball, it is ready to be removed from the heat.
Once it is ready to be removed from the heat, take the skillet off of the burner and place it on a trivet.
At this point, add the vanilla or maple flavouring and incorporate it well into the mixture.
Continue stirring, making sure to scrape down the sides of the skillet.
The mixture will have become very liquid again, but as it cools and is stirred, it will begin to firm up.
Once the mixture can be scraped away from the bottom of the skillet without it dripping back into the void created by scraping it away, pour the mixture into the non-stick 8" x 8" pan.
Let the mixture stand at room temperature until it is somewhat firm, then score it about three-quarters of the way down (not to the bottom of the pan) into squares.
Once it stands for a bit longer, turn the pan over on a plate and gently tap out the squares of sucre à la crème.
Warning: The boiling mixture of sugar and cream becomes extremely hot and may bubble and spit. Make sure to keep children far away from the stove while preparing this recipe.