I'm Elyse. Some of my most vivid and cherished memories are around a table with friends and family, and I want that for you, too.
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This easy miso caramel sauce is my new go-to for sprucing up ice cream, apples, a latte—basically anything!
What Is Miso Caramel Made Of?
Sugar: Just like any caramel, we start with sugar. This is a “dry” recipe, meaning that we simply throw our sugar into a dry saucepan and turn up the heat—waiting for the crystals to slowly melt, and then caramelize. This is opposed to a “wet” caramel, where sugar is combined with water to heat more slowly.
Unsalted Butter: Once the sugar is melted and a beautiful amber color, we take the pan off the heat and add butter. I call for unsalted butter because different butter brands contain different amounts of salt, leading to inconsistent results. So unsalted gives you much more control of the flavor/saltiness.
Heavy Cream: Adding heavy cream not onlythins out your caramel—for a pourable consistency—but the protein and fat in cream also creates a seriously rich texture.
And the star of the show…
Miso: Miso is a fermented soybean paste that lends a salty and slightly funky taste to anything you put it in. (If you’ve ever had miso soup, the delicious, salty broth is all miso bay-bee!) It has been used for literal millennia in Japanese cuisine and there are hundreds of varieties—ranging from only slightly salty and earthy to a full-blown umami powerhouse.
For this recipe, I use a mellow white miso. The brand Cold Mountain Kyoto has been easy for me to find at Whole Foods and Vons, but there are a ton of brands out there. Once you have some miso in your refrigerator, you can add it to literally anything. I recently used it in this garlic pasta recipe to tasty results.
What Does Miso Caramel Taste Like?
Caramel is a decidedly sweet condiment, as the main ingredient is sugar. The miso paste adds some salt for balance and also a slightly earthy note for a more complex flavor without being overwhelming.
Because we are mixing in butter and heavy cream, the caramel is luscious and oh-so rich while staying a pourable consistency, even out of the refrigerator (just give it a little mix). If your caramel does firm up in the refrigerator, you can heat it up in the microwave—going in 15-second bursts until stirrable again.
How You Can Use this Sauce
This caramel is truly versatile. You can:
Drizzle it over ice cream
Swirl it into brownie or cake batter before baking
Top baked goods like cinnamon rolls or banana bread
Whether you use this caramel hot or cold, as a mix-in or a topping, I hope you enjoy!
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Sweet, salty, and ridiculously rich, this miso caramel sauce has it all!
Ingredients
Scale
3/4 Cup Granulated Sugar
1/4 Cup Unsalted Butter, cubed
1/2 Cup Heavy Cream
2 Tablespoons White Miso
Kosher salt to taste – optional
Instructions
Add the sugar to a saucepan in an even layer. Turn the heat to medium and allow it to sit undisturbed (I mean it, don’t stir) until you notice melting and light caramelization around the edges.
Gently swirl the pan—and avoid keeping it on any hot spots, so the sugar heats evenly. Once you notice melting throughout and an even amber color, take the sugar off the heat.
Carefully whisk in your butter and heavy cream. There will be some sputtering and steaming, but this is totally normal (just don’t go sticking your face in front of the pan).
Add the miso and whisk vigorously to incorporate.
Let cool completely before storing it in the refrigerator.