Author Notes: It’s good! Pour it on bananas, apple cake, vanilla ice cream, strawberries, bread pudding, ricotta, yogurt, gingerbread, a spoon….you get the picture. This recipe came about by experimenting with some cream, sugar and vinegar last week. I stirred it up, tasted it, liked it, drank the whole thing, then went forth and researched how I could apply it to a dessert.
I know I will offend someone here, but if it doesn’t break your heart to use Balsamico Tradizionale in a caramel sauce, then add a spoonful or two. It’s pretty darn good.
Slightly adapted from Regan Daley’s recipe for Brown Sugar-Brandy Sauce in her cookbook In the Sweet Kitchen, one of my favorite, most inspiring cookbooks.
—mrslarkin
Food52 Review: WHO: We call faithful Food52er mrslarkin the Scone Lady, and you should too.
WHAT: Your desserts’ new best friend.
HOW: Make a standard-issue caramel sauce, and whisk in a secret ingredient. Then drizzle on everything.
WHY WE LOVE IT: Don’t let the addition of an untraditional ingredient stop you from making this. The vinegar creates a bright note among the otherwise sweet, rich sauce — which makes it okay to eat spoonful after spoonful. Good thing, because we couldn’t stop at just one. —The Editors
Makes: about 2 cups
Cook time: 10 min
Ingredients
-
1/3
cup salted butter
-
1
cup light brown sugar
-
1/3
cup granulated sugar
-
2/3
cup heavy cream
-
2
tablespoons white balsamic vinegar, plus a little of the really good balsamic vinegar, if you’re feeling generous
-
1
pinch flaky sea salt, for topping
Directions
- Place butter, sugars, and cream in a small saucepan, and stir over low heat until the sugar dissolves. Turn up the heat to medium, bring the sauce to a boil, and whisk continuously for 5 minutes. Remove from heat.
- Stir in the vinegar, to taste. The sauce will thicken as it cools.
- Pour onto whatever you want (see headnote) and top with some flaky sea salt.
1 of 12
Photo by Julia Gartland
2 of 12
Photo by James Ransom
3 of 12
Spoons! Or, everything you'll need to make this.
4 of 12
Photo by Food52
This is going to be simple, ready? Butter = in pan.
5 of 12
Photo by Food52
Throw the sugars in there too.
6 of 12
Photo by Food52
Last comes the cream.
7 of 12
Photo by Food52
Whisk everything together, taking note of the art you'll make, until everything has dissolved.
8 of 12
Photo by Food52
It should look like this.
9 of 12
Photo by Food52
Now crank the heat! But really: only to medium. It will boil over medium heat.
10 of 12
Photo by Food52
Stir in the vinegar to taste.
11 of 12
Photo by Food52
Now drizzle. On. Everything.
12 of 12
Photo by Food52