Description
This recipe creates a rich caramel sauce with a sophisticated twist using smoked cardamom and sea salt. It combines sweet, smoky, and spicy notes, perfect for drizzling over ice cream or other desserts.
Ingredients
Scale
- 1 cup (200 g) granulated sugar
- 1/4 cup (60 ml) water
- 1/2 cup (120 ml) heavy cream (full-fat)
- 1/4 cup (60 g) unsalted butter, cut into cubes
- 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 8 green cardamom pods, lightly crushed
- 1/2 teaspoon smoked sea salt, plus extra for garnish
Instructions
- Infuse Cream: Gently warm heavy cream and crushed cardamom pods in a small saucepan over low heat until simmering. Remove from heat and steep for 10 minutes, then strain out pods and keep cream warm.
- Caramelize Sugar: Combine sugar and water in a heavy saucepan over medium heat, stirring gently until dissolved. Cook without stirring until mixture reaches a deep amber color, about 8-10 minutes.
- Add Cream: Carefully pour the warm, strained cream into the hot caramel. Whisk constantly until the bubbling subsides and the mixture is smooth.
- Finish Sauce: Remove the saucepan from the heat. Whisk in the cubed butter and vanilla extract until smooth and glossy. Stir in the smoked sea salt.
- Cool Before Serving: Pour sauce into a heatproof container and let cool for at least 30 minutes at room temperature before serving; it will thicken as it cools.
Notes
To avoid crystallization, do not stir the sugar mixture after it begins to bubble; instead, gently swirl the pan. Ensure the cream is warm before adding it to prevent the caramel from seizing. The sauce will thicken significantly as it cools.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 10 minutes
- Category: Dessert, Sauce, Condiment
- Method: Stovetop, Boiling
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 2 tablespoons
- Calories: 230 kcal
- Sugar: 28 g
- Sodium: 100 mg
- Fat: 14 g
- Saturated Fat: 9 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 0 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 28 g
- Fiber: 0 g
- Protein: 1 g
- Cholesterol: 35 mg
Keywords: caramel, sauce, cardamom, smoked salt, dessert topping, stovetop, easy recipe, condiment, sweet