Homemade Caramel Sauce

Homemade Caramel Sauce

Makes about 2 cups
Covers about 10-12 small-medium apples

INGREDIENTS:

1/2 cup water
1-1/4th cup coconut sugar
2.5 cups coconut milk( I used canned coconut)
1 whole vanilla bean
Pinch of salt

Caramel Apples: 
12 wooden apple sticks if your making caramel apples
10-12 sm-med apples
1/2 cup nuts, chocolate chips, coconut flakes or whatever else you may want
parchment paper
cookie rack for cooling

DIRECTIONS: 

1. Place water and sugar into a medium sized sauce pan on medium heat.
2. Cut open vanilla bean with knife, Scrape vanilla out of vanilla bean. Keep bean as we will throw this in the pan too.
3. Wait until sugar water starts to boil and add coconut milk, salt,vanilla paste and whole vanilla bean. 
4. Mix frequently with a whisk until it starts to thicken or temp reaches 240 degrees. ( this step can take a while so be patient. Took me about 50 min to thicken caramel sauce.
   -This allows you to get your apple dipping station ready though if you want to make caramel   apples like shown in the picture above. 
   -Also don't be too far from stove top as you could end up with a hot sticky mess if you let it boil over.

5. Wash all apples and place a wooden stick into the top of each apple. Put your toppings in bowls and line up so your ready when the caramel is done.
6. Line parchment paper over cookie rack so you can set caramel apples on it to set.
7. Discard vanilla bean when reached right temp or consistency before dipping apples. Let the caramel sit for about 3-5 min as it will cool slightly and thicken even more for an even caramel shell.
8.. One by one swirl the apples into the caramel sauce and then sprinkle or roll into toppings. Set on parchment paper.
9. Place into fridge until serving.

* For just the caramel sauce, pour into a bowl and leave in fridge for up to two weeks.