Black Cocoa Caramel Sauce
The Spice & Tea Exchange
2 cups
Luxuriously dark and deeply flavorful, this caramel is prepared using the dry method, meaning the sugar is melted without the addition of water. Black Cocoa Powder adds a bold, bittersweet depth, while Cinnamon Vanilla Sugar adds a warm, aromatic richness. Perfect for drizzling over ice cream, icing cakes, coating apples, or anything that needs a touch of moody indulgence.
Ingredients
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- ½ cup Cinnamon Vanilla Sugar
- ½ tsp lemon juice or vinegar
- 1 cup heavy cream, warmed to room temperature
- ½ cup unsalted butter, in 1 Tbsp pieces
3 Tbsp Cocoa Black Powder, sifted
- 1 to 2 pinches kosher or fine sea salt
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Black Cocoa Caramel Sauce (Kit)
Directions
- Heat a 2-quart, heavy-bottomed sauce pot on medium-high. To a small mixing bowl, add granulated sugar, Cinnamon Vanilla Sugar, and lemon juice. Using your fingers, rub the lemon juice into the sugar. To the heated pot, add about one-third of the sugar mixture. Stir constantly with a wooden spatula until the sugar has melted and begun to caramelize in color. At this point, any clumps are ok.
- Sprinkle about one-third of the remaining sugar mixture atop the caramelized sugar; stir in. Once melted, repeat the process 2 more times until all the sugar has been added. Keep stirring until the mixture is smooth and amber in color. Turn off heat; carefully add the room temperature cream. Use caution as this step releases a quick burst of steam. Should the sugar solidify due to the temperature difference, simply keep stirring until smooth.
- Add the sifted black cocoa powder; whisk to combine. Add butter pieces and salt. Stir until all the butter has melted and give it a taste. Add more salt if needed. Transfer hot caramel into a glass container. The consistency will be thin initially, but will develop a thick honey consistency as it cools. Enjoy in confections, on baked goods, as cake filling, ice cream topping, or straight from the spoon. Refrigerate leftovers.