How to Enjoy Salted Caramel in Lots of Ways

Over my many years cooking I have, on a few occasions, discovered new flavours that have delighted the heck out of me, for instance chipotle, black garlic, and, of course, delicious salted caramel. That was many years ago now but I wish I’d discovered it when I started cooking; so much deliciousness wasted!

Now I add salt to all sorts of caramel dishes so here’s some ideas and some recipes.

Salted Caramel Sauce and some Great Ways to Use It

This is a very quick and easy sauce which is great on ice cream, stirred through rice pudding and drizzled on all sorts of things. See end of recipe for some more good ideas for it.

50g/¼ cup granulated sugar
25ml/1½ tbsp water
150ml/¾ cup double cream
pinch of salt
½ tsp vanilla extract

~   Set the cream beside the stove.
~   In a deep saucepan over low heat stir together the sugar and the water till the sugar is
      dissolved and then bring to a boil.  Don’t stir any more but when it begins turning golden
      you can swirl it about a bit to even out the colour.
~   Cook to a deep golden brown watching carefully and swirling occasionally.
~   When you are happy with the colour add the cream and stir over low heat till the caramel
      which will have hardened has melted back into the cream.
~   Add the chocolate and stir till completely melted and mixed into the sauce.
~   Add the salt and vanilla extract and mix in.

Salted Caramel Brownies

If you have made some brownies, before they are fully cold, turn them out onto a rack

~   Take a wooden spoon and lightly butter the handle end.
~   Carefully insert the spoon handle straight down into the brownie at 1” intervals twisting
      gently it on the way in and out twisting to form lots of deep little wells, but not breaking
      through the bottom of the brownie.
~   Fill each little hole with sauce and then allow the brownie to cool completely before cutting
      into squares.

Salted Caramel Pancakes

See here for how to make thick, fluffy American style pancakes and then, following the instructions here, add a dollop of salted caramel sauce to each pancake!

Easy Salted Caramel Granita/Sorbet

Granita is a crunchy frozen dessert, just freeze it! For a smoother, creamy sorbet while freezing mash with a fork every now and then to smooth out the ice crystals.

250g/1 cup sugar
570ml water
½ teaspoon vanilla extract
¼ tsp sea salt

~   Put the sugar into a heavy bottomed pan together with about 100ml/½ cup of the water.
~   Set the rest of the water immediately next to the stove.
~   Stir together the sugar and water over low heat till the sugar has dissolved then turn up the
      heat and stop stirring! You can swirl the pan a little in a careful sort of way but more stirring
      will encourage crystals to form which we don’t want.
~   Watch carefully and when the syrup reaches a rich deep reddish brown quickly, carefully
      and at arm’s length pour in the rest of the water. The syrup will solidify somewhat in the
      cold water so stir it over low heat till it melts again.
~   Add vanilla and salt (or see below).
~   Cool, chill, freeze, eat.

I like to add the salt when the sorbet is almost completely frozen. I use large crunchy flakes and stir them in thoroughly for a pleasant salty surprise when eating.

I love salted caramel but it seems we may have gone too far, with this lovely flavour combination, at least in the opinion of the BBC!