Sweet and savory have been combined in the past to produce foods welcomed by our palates. The latest craze originated in France and combines sweet caramel with sea salt. Salt has been an ingredient used in baking by some pastry chefs because it enhances sweetness. In the case of salted caramels, the salt's burning sensation brings out the burnt element of the caramel. The culinary delight was revered by chefs for years. The confection migrated over to the U.S. but slowly gained esteem among the masses. People seemed to take notice when the combination made it’s way to mainstream outlets. Last fall Starbucks added a salted caramel hot chocolate to the menu and Haagen Dazs added a salted caramel ice cream to its premium collection. And if that weren‘t enough, when Barack Obama disclosed his indulgence is salty caramel’s from a Seattle based chocolatier, Fran's Chocolates, the trend skyrocketed in popularity. Learn more about salted caramel in this New York Times article.
Check out this recipe for mini salted caramel cupcakes from Cupcake Bakeshop. Yum!
Photo Credit: Courtesy of Fran's Chocolates, Cupcake Bakeshop
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