New Year’s diet or no diet, we think everyone deserves a sweet treat now and then.
Especially if it’s in the form of Jason McClure’s handcrafted beer salted caramels. Seattle’s Sazerac executive chef started tinkering with the recipe when he was looking for a beer-inspired desert to teach at his fall cooking class.
“After experimenting a bit I came up with these, which have all the traits of quintessential beer food. They’re great snacks and also have that salt flavor, which goes great with beer. They’re handcrafted and simple,” says Jason.
We figure this photo alone might give you a craving, so Jason was kind enough to share his recipe. Try making your own at home. You don’t have to eat them in one sitting (although we wouldn’t blame you if you did).
Ingredients
2 cups brown sugar
2 sticks butter
1 12-oz. bottle of your favorite beer (ESB or similar style preferred … or experiment!)
1 cup corn syrup
1 can sweetened condensed milk
1 tsp. vanilla extract
Sea salt
Pretzels (optional garnish)
1. Melt butter and brown sugar together in medium saucepan over medium heat.
2. Slowly add beer, corn syrup and milk while stirring constantly.
3. Cook caramels to 240° F. Do not stop stirring once milk is added or caramels will scorch.
4. Once you reach 240° F, take mixture off of heat and stir in vanilla extract.
5. Pour mixture into 9” x 13” pan lined with parchment paper.
6. Sprinkle sea salt on top of hot caramels. Let them set until firm enough to cut.
7. Optional: Lay pretzels on top of warm caramels for an added salty crunch.
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Discover more sweet temptations (and diet-friendly health food, too!) at Sazerac, 1101 Fourth Avenue, Seattle (206-624-7755 or sazeracrestaurant.com).
