“I can’t imagine life without luxuriously smooth, golden brown caramel. It’s an obsession, really - the flavour of forbidden fruit.” These are the poetic words of Chef Michael Smith - the award-winning host of the Food Network’s Chef at Home, Chef at Large and The Inn Chef.

This man speaks from my heart. While some people fawn at newborn babies and Wheaton Terrier puppies, my heart melts when I come into contact with a rich caramel sauce. “Create your own caramel just once and you spark a lifelong addiction,” writes Smith in the Food & Wine section of Wednesday’s Globe and Mail newspaper. Never were truer words written.

I love this golden sauce layered over vanilla ice cream and capped with salty peanuts (a throw back from my Dairy Queen days). Sticky bread pudding drizzled with caramel sauce - heaven. Especially if it happens to be Dalvay by the Sea’s sticky date pudding. I actually had it for breakfast on my 31st birthday - it remains one of my favourite food moments.

It’s hard to believe that nirvana consists of only five ingredients, but it’s the creamy richness and the simplicity of this recipe that makes it so delectable. Make and enjoy.

Chef Michael Smith’s Caramel Sauce

Ingredients

(makes two cups)

• 1 cup of water
• 2 cups of white sugar
• 1 cup of cream
• A dribble of or two of pure vanilla extract
• A sprinkle or two of sea salt

Technique:

Pour the water into a small saucepan. Pour the sugar in a small, tight pile into the pot. The sugar will easily dissolve without forming gritty crystals. Begin heating over medium-high heat but do not stir. The water and sugar will quickly dissolve together and form simple syrup. Continue heating the mixture until the water evaporates and the mixture turns to a deep golden brown - when you see the first hints of colour (pale golden stage) begin swirling the pan to help the mixture colour evenly. At the golden brown stage carefully add the cream - it will sputter and hiss a bit - but turn the heat back on and stir or whisk until the caramel is smooth. Add the vanilla and salt. Pour into a glass jar and refrigerate.

Cheers,

Julie

This entry was posted on Thursday, March 27th, 2008 at 11:42 am and is filed under Food. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.