Miso Caramel Sauce
We love to include umami rich foods in recipes where you wouldn’t expect it, like this miso caramel sauce.
A touch of white miso amplifies the flavor of the Maillard Reaction- the roasted, caramel flavor that occurs when proteins are cooked over high heat- in this straightforward but complexly flavored dessert.
You’ll Need:
1 cup granulated sugar
1/4 cup (4 tablespoons) salted butter, cut into ½-inch pieces
1 1/2 cups crème fraîche
2 tablespoons white miso paste
Heavy-bottomed saucepan or copper pot
Long-handled whisk and oven mitts
Add 1/2 cup of the sugar to the copper pot or heavy-bottomed saucepan. Cook the sugar over medium heat without stirring until mostly liquified, then stir to mix in any unmelted sugar. When there’s no more dry sugar, but the sugar is not bubbling, add the other 1/2 cup of sugar and repeat the process.
When all of the sugar has melted, and there are no lumps, put on oven mitts, increase the heat, and stir until it looks clear and is starting to darken. Add the butter and crème fraîche, mixing with a whisk. Stand back as it may bubble up dramatically.
Cook, stirring frequently, for about 5 minutes or until the caramel reaches 225°F.
Turn off heat, then whisk in miso paste until combined. Pour into a serving dish store in a jar in the refrigerator.
Serve with apple slices, drizzle over ice cream, or pair with a dark red wine.