Recipe: Miso Caramel Sauce

The July issue of Food & Wine contains a mouth-watering recipe for miso caramel sauce:

Ingredients

• 1 1/2 cups heavy cream

• 6 tablespoons unsalted butter

• 1 1/2 cups sugar

• 1/3 cup light corn syrup

• 1/4 cup water

• 1/2 cup white miso

• 1/2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

Directions

1. In a small saucepan, combine the cream and butter and bring just to a simmer over moderate heat.

2. In a medium saucepan, mix the sugar, corn syrup and water and cook over moderately high heat, without stirring, until the sugar is dissolved. Using a wet pastry brush, wash down any crystals from the side of the pan. Continue to cook, gently swirling the pan occasionally, until an amber caramel forms, about 5 minutes.

3. Remove the pan from the heat and whisk in the cream mixture; it will bubble up. When the bubbles subside, very carefully pour the hot caramel into a heatproof blender. With the blender on medium speed, gradually add spoonfuls of the miso until incorporated. Transfer to a bowl and let cool, then whisk in the vanilla.

The only thing stopping me from making this sauce RIGHT NOW is the absence of white miso in our pantry. I think we have approximately 400 different asian ingredients and condiments, but not that one. 

The article recommends serving the miso caramel sauce with vanilla ice cream. Pshaw! If you are going to go gourmet caramel, go all the way baby. Ladle that luscious sauce over multiple scoops of Haagen-Dazs Applewood-Smoked Caramel Almond.