Simple gifts - salted caramel sauce

The one project I allowed myself for Christmas was this salted caramel sauce. It is so good and it only requires three ingredients and minimal patience. If you have a large stockpot, you can triple the recipe and it will be just as delicious. I saved little jars all year just for this purpose.

{fleur de sel caramel sauce}

It isn't actually canned, so it should be refrigerated after you give it to your lucky recipients but don't stress too much about spoilage. I left our personal jar on the counter for a week and it was still fine (granted, our apartment is cold, but it isn't glacial). The recipe says you should eat it within two weeks. I've extended that to a month based on personal experience and one of the people who got a jar last year actually made it last for ten months and it was perfectly fine. I'm not surprised - high sugar, low water content items are normally very stable. I am shocked that he managed to control himself and pace his eating out over the course of ten months. I can eat an entire jar with a spoon in one sitting. I wish that were hyperbole.

{gifts boxed - partially distributed}

It solidifies when cold, so pop the glass jar (sans metal lid, naturally) in the microwave for 20 seconds to make the consistency just right for pouring over ice cream.