Rum & Raisin Caramel Sauce is boozy, fruity, soft & sumptuous. It’s a great addition to your summer ice cream eating habit. Go for classic vanilla or pair with chocolate or caramel ices instead.

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If I go into fancy delis I’m often drawn to the sweet section, which can usually be relied upon to stock at least one jar of caramel sauce. I’m often tempted, but I rarely buy, since I know that I can make noteworthy caramel sauce myself for a fraction of the price.

Whilst on holiday recently, I came across a deli stocking some pretty bold flavoured caramel sauces – liquorice for example. That got my mind back on the caramel theme and racing towards fresh ideas.

Even before the deli visit, I had been wanting to create a sauce worthy of spooning over the simplest of summer pleasures – vanilla ice cream. My mind started mulling over classic ice cream flavours and it wasn’t long before the notion of turning the slightly retro rum & raisin flavour into a sauce took hold. Right on cue, the deli visit happened and this Rum & Raisin Caramel Sauce was born.

Boozy, fruity and lusciously soft & creamy, this caramel sauce is the ideal partner for vanilla, chocolate or even caramel ice cream.

Rum & raisin caramel sauce being served with vanilla ice cream

How to Make Rum & Raisin Caramel Sauce

This is an easy and simple recipe to prepare if you have experience in making caramel. If you are new to caramel making, then do hop over and read my tips on making caramel before you make a start. I promise you it is a skill worth learning (you’ll save a fortune in the long-run) and it’s not particularly tricky as long as you stick to the recipe and instructions your recipe specifies.

As far as caramel recipes go, this one is fairly standard:

Put the sugar into a heavy-based saucepan and set over a medium heat to allow the sugar to gradually melt. As it melts you can gently swirl the pan a couple of times to ensure the caramel cooks evenly, but do not stir it
Once the sugar has melted, the caramel will begin to darken. Continue to let it cook until it reaches a lovely amber colour (but keep a close eye on the caramel as it can burn easily)
Add the butter and pour in the cream, taking care as it can bubble up and is extremely hot. Mix with a small hand whisk until everything is fully incorporated
Put the pan back on the heat and cook, stirring constantly, for a further 2 minutes
Take off the heat and stir in the salt and vanilla extract
Mince the raisins and stir into the caramel along with the rum
Allow to cool in the pan for 20 minutes, then carefully pour the caramel into a jar
Let cool completely, then seal and store in the fridge for up to 3 weeks. Bring back to room temperature before serving

The beauty of this Rum & Raisin Caramel Sauce is that the level of rum can be adjusted to marry with your personal tastes. And should you feel like ringing the changes, nuts can be stirred through too. I recommend a mix of hazelnut, almond and pistachio.

Rum & raisin caramel sauce with mixed nuts

What can This Sauce be Used for?

Of course, the ultimate pairing for this soft and spoonable sauce is vanilla ice cream. It was specifically created with this in mind.

It can be used in a sundae to jazz up the basic offering. I went the whole hog recently and scattered in some nuts, mini Stroopwaffles and some nutty poke sticks that I picked up on holiday. It was a creamy, caramelly, nutty bowlful of bliss.

Spooning rum & raisin sauce onto vanilla ice cream in a bowl

Caramel sauce in a bowl with vanilla ice cream, stroopwaffle and poke sticks

But don’t restrict this Rum & Raisin Caramel Sauce to just ice cream. It’s also a great partner for spooning onto:

Pancakes (definitely add a few nuts)
Waffles (with ice cream or whipped cream… or both)
Vanilla or chocolate Cheesecake
Brownies (maybe with that vanilla ice cream I keep mentioning)
Meringues (with copious amounts of whipped cream, obviously)

And that’s just a few ideas. I’m sure you’ll come up with more.

Have you made this sauce? What did you pair it with? How about sharing your gorgeous creation on Instagram – don’t forget to tag #littlesugarsnaps so I can see it too.

A scoop of vanilla ice cream with rum & raisin caramel sauce

Other Fun Food to Serve with Ice Cream: