GOURMET TRAVELLER 83WORDS & RECIPE LAUREN ELDRIDGE. PHOTOGRAPHY ALICIA TAYLOR. STYLING LISA FEATHERBY. MERCHANDISING HARRIET DAVIDSON. FOOD PREPARATION JESSICA BROOK.
Masterclass
Tips- Have all the ingredients weighed out and ready to go before
you start. Once the sugar begins to caramelise, your attention
should be squarely on the pan in front of you. For this caramel
sauce it’s 300gm caster sugar, 250gm cream, 50gm chilled
diced butter and 1 tsp salt flakes. - Use a large, deep pan; the caramel will start to bubble and
spit once the cream is added and it’s incredibly hot. - Make sure your butter is cold. This will help prevent the sauce
from splitting and ensure the end result is nice and smooth. - Unless you want a new spatula, use a wooden spoon to stir
the sugar – some spatulas can melt into the hot caramel.
S
alted caramel only has four ingredients, is simple to
make and has many uses. It does, however, require a
little care and attention. For starters, there are two ways
to make caramel: the wet method, which begins with
sugar and water, and the dry method, which uses only sugar.
A wet caramel has its place (it’s great for hard-set toffees, for
example),but for a butterscotch-style sauce like this, I prefer
dry. The dry method is also easier. There tends to be a fear with
caramel that it might crystallise and seize up. Thing is, that only
happens with the wet method, and then, only if you stir it; with
dry it’s not a concern, you’re just melting and caramelising
sugar. I take mine to the edge of burning because I like how the
bitterness counteracts the sweetness, but stop yours earlier if
you like. Same with the salt, adjust it to suit your own taste.Step by step
making sure the butter is fully
incorporated before adding
more (this will ensure the butter
emulsifies into the sauce and
that the caramel doesn’t split).
Whisk in 1 tsp salt flakes, transfer
to a heatproof container andcool (wait 30 minutes before
tasting; it will still be very hot).
Adjust salt to taste and chill until
ready to use. If serving as a hot
sauce, reheat it in a saucepan
over medium heat or inshort
bursts in a microwave.Ramp it upThe addition of extra flavours can take this sauce in new
directions. At Stokehouse, for example, I’ve infused the cream with
apple peel then served the caramel with a whole baked apple and
crème fraîche ice-cream. Try coffee beans or vanilla, too, or even try
replacing some of the cream with dark rum or whiskey. For a thicker
sauce, increase the amount of butter by 50gm and reduce the cream
by the same amount. This can then be whipped into a buttercream,
or used in a tart (see p153 for Bistro Guillaume’s version).●1
Scatter 100gm sugar evenly
across the base of a large,
deep frying pan. Place over
medium-high heat and watch
the sugar carefully. Stir it a little
to make sure the bottom doesn’t
burn before the top has melted
and wait until it starts to turn
golden (2-3 minutes).2
Add another 100gm sugar,
stir to melt in and wait until it
turns runny (2-3 minutes). Add a
final 100gm sugar, stir it in, then
continue cooking until the sugar
has fully melted and turns dark
golden (2-3 minutes). Watch itcarefully (the caramel can
burn very quickly), cooking
until the surface just starts to
foam (30 seconds to 1 minute),
then turn off the heat.3
Carefully pour in 125gm
cream. Stir to combine,
being careful of the steam and
the bubbling caramel, then stir in
another 125gm cream. Remove
from heat and switch from a
wooden spoon to a whisk.4
Whisking constantly,
gradually add 50gm diced
butter, 2-3 cubes at a time,1
2
3