Whether you want to make candied apples since Halloween is around the corner, or just plain candy, every cook needs a version of caramel sauce tucked away in the back of their mind to satisfy the occasional sweet tooth.

I notice a lot of the television cooks are using caramel to give desserts height.

That’s easy too.

They drizzle the caramel over waxed paper while it’s hot. By the time it cools, it’s hardened into something edible, but has a more wrought iron consistency.

Caramel sauce makes a great topping, whether it’s for banana splits, or homemade cinnamon rolls. It can be ready in minutes as long as you have its ingredients on hand in the pantry.

Caramel Sauce

11⁄2 sticks butter

11⁄2 cups light brown sugar

1⁄2 cup corn syrup

In a heavy sauce pan melt 11⁄2 sticks of butter with 11⁄2 cups of brown sugar and 1⁄2 cup of corn syrup. Simmer, stirring constantly, for one minute.

Remove from heat and let cool for two minutes before using the sauce. It will begin to harden, yet remain pliable.

If you intend to use caramel decorations to enhance the presentation of another dish, this is the time to get your waxed paper out and drizzle the patterns. Allow to cool for five minutes.

This sauce can be held in an oven at low heat for nearly an hour if you’re busy with something else, but it is best served warm because it can get pretty hard if left at room temperature.