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Milky Salted Caramel

April 10, 2014 by Joy the Baker 60 Comments

drinking caramel

There’s this really cool thing that happens when you get to do what you love for a living.  Well… it’s that you do what you love.  For me that usually means an abundance of butter, caramel, and chocolate chunks.  There’s also a ton of dishes, camera batteries, and a few good hours on the computer.

There’s another thing that happens when you get to do what you love for a living.  Despite the butter and caramel, what you love becomes… work.  We all know that work is sometimes UGH.

Then there’s this other thing that happens when you’re lucky enough to do what you love for a living, and it feels like work, and you start to feel UGH… you start to feel entirely ungrateful for your very fortunate circumstances.  That’s just honest.  Not good, but honest.  It’s like you’re not allowed to be discontent where passion and career meet.

french broad chocolate

I’ve been in Asheville, North Carolina this week.  I’m trying to wade through a few work projects.  It’s awesome… and it’s ugh… and it’s awesome!

Do you know what I mean?

I’ve taken a few super great work breaks in Asheville.  Work breaks must involve either wine or chocolate so naturally I found myself at French Broad Chocolate Lounge.

french broad

The chocolate dipped shortbread at French Broad Chocolate is out of this world.  Don’t even get me started on the mochas.  Don’t even talk to me about their Salted Caramel Hot Chocolate.

Major delicious.  Good inspiration.

milky salted caramel

And so!  Milky Salted Caramel.  Because work is sometimes work, but caramel helps.  Caramel always helps.

Milky Salted Caramel

First we make the caramel.

It’s really simple and it’s really complicated.

Sugar.  Water.  Cream and butter.

Boil and stir.  It only requires a bit of bravery.

Milky Salted Caramel

Granulated sugar is added to a pan.  I used cast iron because it’s what I have on hand here in Asheville but really a silver bottom skillet is best.  That way you can see the sugar browning as it bubbles.

Milky Salted Caramel

Once the sugar and water is browned to a pretty, scary, super hot amber color, we quickly stir in heavy cream.

Milky Salted Caramel

This requires just a bit more bravery and a tolerance for steam.

Milky Salted Caramel

Multi-tasking.  Whisk caramel and pick up butter.

Milky Salted Caramel

Multi-tasking.  Whisk caramel.  Pick up butter.  Plop butter into caramel.  Keep whisking.  Never stop whisking.

Milky Salted Caramel

It’s all feeling pretty dreamy.

Once the butter is melted into the caramel, we whisk in a good dose of sea salt.

Salt to balance the sweet.

Milky Salted Caramel

Because we’re classy, the warm caramel goes into a pretty pouring vessel.

Milky Salted Caramel

Caramel in the glasses.  Like… a lot of caramel in the glasses.

Milky Salted Caramel

Warm milk because we can’t just eat caramel with a spoon (even though we totally can).

Milky Salted Caramel

It’s like ice cream meets hot chocolate meets not hot chocolate because it’s totally just hot caramel in a cup with milk.

Wait… what?

Milky Salted Caramel

                                       photos with help from Jon Melendez

Whipped cream and more caramel because that’s the nicest thing to do with extra caramel.

Sweet and salty and creamy beyond!  This drink is mega indulgent!  Think:  after dinner sipping.  Think:  mid afternoon sipping followed by a good long nap.

This is just what I needed to kick my own but out of an itty-bitty work funk.

Here’s how.

Milky Salted Caramel

makes 2 drinks

Print this Recipe!

1/2 cup granulated sugar

4 tablespoons water

1/3 cup heavy cream

2 tablespoons unsalted butter

1/2 teaspoon sea salt, plus more for topping

3 cups whole milk

1/2 cup heavy cream

2 teaspoons powdered sugar

1/2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

To make the caramel, add sugar and water to a medium saucepan.  Bring to a boil over medium heat, swirling the pan instead of stirring it.  Bring to a boil and allow sugar and water to brown.  Once sugar has browned to a medium amber color, remove from heat and immediately stir in heavy cream and butter.  Mixture will boil and foam.  Stir well.  Add salt and stir well to incorporate.  Caramel may seem thin… that’s ok.

In a medium saucepan, warm the milk.

While the milk warms, whip the heavy cream with powdered sugar and vanilla extract.  Whip to soft peaks.

Add 3 to 4 tablespoons of warm caramel to each tall glass.  Stir in warm milk.  Top with whipped cream and drizzle with more caramel.  Serve immediately.  

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Reader Interactions

Comments

  1. morganmariehealth

    December 19, 2014 at 1:18 pm

    Well said!! Doing what I love really is starting to feel like work, so I’ve been putting it off! I’m so ungrateful!

    Reply
  2. chocolatestoptempting

    October 27, 2014 at 10:38 am

    I was looking for a recipe with salted caramel ilke this one, so glad I have found it! :) thank you! :) it sounds delicious! :) Will be trying it out soon!

    Reply
  3. Caroline

    August 24, 2014 at 2:03 pm

    Hi Joy— I’m wanting to make a chocolate layer cake and put caramel in between the layers. Do you think this caramel recipe would work for that? Thank you!!

    Reply
    • joythebaker

      October 2, 2014 at 7:31 pm

      Hello Caroline! It totally will! I’d drizzle it on top of the frosting in between the layers, drizzle in both directions. You’ll be good to go!

      Reply
  4. Blanca Oliver

    May 6, 2014 at 2:43 am

    Hi Joy!
    This post has made me want to conquer my fear of making caramel and I’m planning it for this weekend.

    However, I’m not sure I would like to use it with the warm milk, but rather put it in a jar in the fridge and then spoon it over ice cream, fruit…

    If I use only the caramel part of the recipe, will it turn out OK for that?

    Thanks!

    Reply
  5. terismyth

    April 27, 2014 at 1:11 pm

    Oh My! Caramel is def a must in my diet. I’m jumping up and down and giving out little claps right now. Thanks for the great photos.
    http://www.letsmakemudpies.blogspot.com

    Reply
  6. Audrey Johnsen

    April 24, 2014 at 1:48 pm

    love your blog and it’s my go-to for special treats and brunches for sure! We just moved from Santa Barbara, CA to a small town in Colorado at 8500 ft…. tried making this up here but have failed 5x. Is it the high altitude lower temp for boiling? I have tried adding more water, cooking at lower temp, higher temp, etc. Any tips for high altitude caramel making?!? Thanks!

    Reply
  7. Androidism

    April 20, 2014 at 4:37 am

    wow great and i bookmark this article, coz someday i will going to make like that! thanks for the recipe :D

    Reply
  8. Monica Bane

    April 18, 2014 at 10:14 pm

    If you are still in Asheville, check out Jack of the Wood pub in downtown. Excellent bread cheese and chutney appetizer and chicken gilroy is great.

    Reply
  9. Jil Be

    April 18, 2014 at 7:48 am

    French Broad Chocolates is the quintessential do what you love destination. I find myself wondering, “was she there when I stopped in to pick up my Easter goodies? Qas she that lady I stood next to? No, that lady had longer hair…”

    Reply
  10. fardous

    April 16, 2014 at 3:10 am

    im def trying this soon , thank u for sharing

    Reply
  11. emmajeanne16

    April 14, 2014 at 8:40 pm

    Yum, yum and yum!!

    Reply
  12. sam

    April 14, 2014 at 4:45 pm

    made this just now, it’s perfect and easy to make plus my dad likes it so it’s now the snack of the house

    Reply
  13. Sarah Gardner

    April 14, 2014 at 1:33 pm

    I love, love, love the French Broad Chocolate Lounge…I’m right across the mountain from Asheville! So glad you are having fun there!

    Reply
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