Caramel sauce from the Fanny Farmer Cookbook

I decided to try making homemade caramel sauce using the recipe from the Fanny Farmer Cookbook. It takes a while, but is very simple. Heat one cup of white sugar over low heat in a thick bottomed pan (so you don't burn the sugar). Swirl the sugar around the pot until it melts. It takes a while before it melts, but once it starts, it can go fairly quickly. I discovered that in the begin it's best to let the pot sit for a bit with occasional shakes to move the sugar around. Once the sugar has melted, pour in one cup of boiling water. Warning: Boiling sugar is MUCH hotter than boiling water. When you pour the water in, the mixture will foam and bubble a lot. Continue to stir over low for 3-4 minutes, or until all the sugar has melted again (the water will cool the sugar and you'll have lumps for a bit).

After it had cooled down enough to taste without scorching my tongue, I tried some. It tasted more like simple syrup than the thick, heavy caramel sauce you get on ice cream or your calorie-laden Starbuck's drink. This might be because the sauce needs to cool and thicken some more, or my tastebuds have been corrupted by the commercially made caramel sauces that are full of corn syrup, cornstarch, and preservatives. It also might be because unlike other recipes, this one doesn't include cream or butter. But, without cream or butter, this sauce will last indefinitely.