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Maple Sea Salt Caramel Sauce
A rich and glossy caramel sauce balances deep sweetness with a sharp hit of coarse sea salt. Heavy cream, pure maple syrup, and maple sugar build a complex flavor profile that goes far beyond standard caramel. A split vanilla bean infuses the mixture as it simmers to a thick, luxurious consistency. Spoon it warm over ice cream, drizzle it onto brownies, or use it as a decadent dip for salty pretzels.
Ingredients
- 2 cups whipping cream
- ¾ cup sugar
- ½ cup maple sugar
- ½ cup pure maple syrup
- 1 vanilla bean, halved
- 4 tablespoons (½ stick) unsalted butter
- 1 teaspoon coarse sea salt
Instructions
- 1Place the whipping cream, sugar, maple sugar, and pure maple syrup into a heavy-bottomed medium saucepan. Stir the mixture over medium heat until the sugars completely dissolve, then drop in the halved vanilla bean and increase the heat to bring the liquid to a boil.
- 2Lower the heat to medium-low and let the sauce simmer for about 35 minutes, whisking frequently until it takes on a rich color and thickens. Add the unsalted butter and stir continuously until it melts fully into the sauce.
- 3Allow the caramel to cool slightly off the heat. Gently stir in the coarse sea salt to distribute it evenly, then fish out and discard the vanilla bean halves.
- 4Store the cooled caramel sauce in a covered container in the refrigerator for up to three days. When you are ready to serve, warm the sauce over medium heat while stirring, adding two tablespoons of hot water if needed to smooth out any crystallized sugar.