Why did my caramel crystallise?

You probably stirred the sugar as it melted. Crystals chain up, let the sugar melt untouched and only swirl the pan.

Can burnt caramel be saved?

No, the bitterness will not go away. Sugar is cheap: wash the pan and start again, taking it off the heat a shade earlier.

Which salt is best for salted caramel?

Flaked salt, Sel de Guérande or fleur de sel. The flakes dissolve slowly and register in the caramel; fine table salt just disappears.

Where can I buy ready-made salted caramel in Bratislava?

At Saint Paul in Fresh Market, our house salted caramel with Guérande salt is sold in jars at the counter.

What do you use salted caramel for?

On sweet crêpes and pancakes, over ice cream, in a far breton, on apple tart, or straight off the spoon. At Saint Paul it is the base of the Salted caramel crêpe.

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Classics

Salted butter caramel

Name: Salted butter caramel
Prep time: 5 min
Cook time: 10 min
Total time: 15 min
Yield: 6
Cuisine: French
Ingredients: 200 g sugar; 80 g butter, salted for preference; 200 ml double cream; 1 tsp Sel de Guérande flakes

Breton salted caramel is sugar melted to amber, softened with butter, cream and flakes of Sel de Guérande, thick, glossy and dangerously good.

Prep: 5 min
Cook: 10 min
Total: 15 min
Servings: 6
Difficulty: Intermediate

This is the heart of our sweet crêpes. It takes minutes, but it demands attention: caramel turns from amber to burnt in seconds. Have the butter and cream ready to hand.

Method

01
Put the sugar in a heavy pan and melt it over medium heat without stirring. As it starts to melt at the edges, swirl the pan gently so it caramelises evenly.
02
When the caramel is a deep amber, take it off the heat and whisk in the butter piece by piece. Careful, it will bubble up.
03
Pour in the cream a little at a time, stirring until smooth. Return to low heat and cook 2 minutes until it thickens.
04
Stir in the salt flakes. Pour into a jar and let it cool, it thickens further.

Tip

It keeps two weeks in a sealed jar in the fridge. Warm it briefly before using.

Frequently asked

Why did my caramel crystallise?: You probably stirred the sugar as it melted. Crystals chain up, let the sugar melt untouched and only swirl the pan.
Can burnt caramel be saved?: No, the bitterness will not go away. Sugar is cheap: wash the pan and start again, taking it off the heat a shade earlier.
Which salt is best for salted caramel?: Flaked salt, Sel de Guérande or fleur de sel. The flakes dissolve slowly and register in the caramel; fine table salt just disappears.
Where can I buy ready-made salted caramel in Bratislava?: At Saint Paul in Fresh Market, our house salted caramel with Guérande salt is sold in jars at the counter.
What do you use salted caramel for?: On sweet crêpes and pancakes, over ice cream, in a far breton, on apple tart, or straight off the spoon. At Saint Paul it is the base of the Salted caramel crêpe.

Rather taste than cook?

Bistrot lunch, galettes, crêpes and Sorre cider: Fresh Market, 1st floor, Monday to Saturday.

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