Miso Caramel
Add instant umami to your desserts -- or just eat it from a spoon.
Easy as 1, 2, 3: just heavy cream, white miso paste, and sugar.
Pick a large, heavy saucepan to prevent burning or splattering while the caramel simmers.
In goes the water -- you're already nearly done.
Bring the sugar and water to a boil, no stirring required. Do keep an eye on it, though: an unwatched caramel will scorch!
When you reach a "deep golden brown," it's time to pull the caramel off the heat.
While stirring, quickly pour the heavy cream into the hot caramel.
Whoosh! Don't worry -- keep whisking and it will all straighten out.
With the caramel sauce smoothed out, it's time to add the miso paste. Whisk vigorously to dissolve it.
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Author Notes: Salted caramel is so in these days. I had recently purchased a tub of white miso and was looking for ways to use it and figured it would be a simple way to add not only salt, but also umami to a caramel sauce. - theminx
Food52 Review: WHO: theminx is a food blogger based in Baltimore.
WHAT: An umami-rich caramel sauce enriched with a dollop of miso.
HOW: A quick simmer of sugar and water followed by a generous splash of cream gives you caramel -- whisk in the miso and you're done.
WHY WE LOVE IT: The genius of this recipe is its versatility -- yes, you can spoon it over ice cream (or eat it from a spoon), but why not use it to glaze roasted pork or fish? - A&M
Makes 1 pint
- 3/4 cups granulated sugar
- 1/4 cup water
- 1/2 cup heavy cream
- 2 tablespoons white miso
- In a heavy saucepan set over medium-high heat, stir together sugar and water. Without additional stirring, bring mixture to a boil. Use a wet pastry brush to wash down any sugar crystals that form on the sides of the pan. When sugar becomes a deep golden brown and wisps of smoke just start to form, remove pan from heat.
- Once off the heat, carefully pour in the cream, which will cause the caramel to bubble. Stir to combine. If the caramel seizes up and hardens with the addition of the cold cream, then put the pan back over low heat and stir until the caramel is liquid again. Whisk in the miso. Allow to cool slightly before pouring into a lidded container. Store in the refrigerator.
- Remelt the sauce by putting some in a ramekin and microwaving it on high for 30 second intervals until hot and liquid-y. Serve over ice cream, pound cake, or just eat it cold out of the jar with a spoon.
- Your Best Soy Contest Finalist!
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15 days ago Courtney Pollock
This is so delicious! I made some a few nights ago and then made homemade vanilla ice cream with a miso caramel swirl. Enjoying it now. Thanks for sharing such an easy recipe to use up all the miso in my house!
25 days ago Chiarina-ina
*_*
25 days ago Allison (Spontaneous Tomato)
Wow, I am slightly skeptical of this, but on the other hand, it might be amazing... will have to try it! :)
25 days ago Hilarybee
I can't wait to try this. I have to drive pretty far to the nearest health food store that stocks it, but this is such a brilliant recipe and worth it. thanks theminx!
4 months ago luvcookbooks
Meg is a trusted home cook.
Hi,
A friend made this for a Food52 potluck yesterday! She came late after I had already had two sundaes, so I just had a tiny taste but I loved it and brought the rest home (she claimed she didn't have a lot of meals that included caramel sauce but I know it will keep for a long time in the refrigerator!). Thanks!! Would never have thought of this.. it tasted very complex and I can't wait to try it on food even tho I was so full I was not sure I could even manage a drop on a spoon. :))
9 months ago elltea
A friend made a recipe similar to this recently, which Mark Bittman had shared in the NYT. We couldn't stop eating it straight with a spoon, even though it was supposed to go over ice cream. Can't wait to try your version!
9 months ago lbrussell
I think I need to stop what I'm doing right this second to make this. Looks scrumptious!
9 months ago XHILOGIRL
this recipe sounds AMAZING! i am making this NOW!
9 months ago Dr.Insomnia
Is there any reason to only use white miso? Like if I happened to have red miso in the fridge already, would it be OK to use it.
9 months ago theminx
Generally, the rule of thumb is the darker the miso, the more strongly flavored it is. They contain more soybeans in proportion to grain and may be fermented for longer periods of time. And darker misos use more strongly-flavored grains. A red miso, with a high percentage of soybeans and barley, might be a bit overwhelming. White miso has a lot of rice in it, so it's mild to begin with, and has a bit of inherent sweetness.
9 months ago Bevi
I think this is a genius recipe. The simplicity of it is brilliant, and I am betting with some adjustments this would make a great chewy caramel. What a pairing with a tea ice cream!
9 months ago Bevi
I think this is a genius recipe. The simplicity of it is brilliant, and I am betting with some adjustments this would make a great chewy caramel. What a pairing with a tea ice cream!
9 months ago Madhuja
I was a tester for this recipe and was blown away by its deep, rich flavors! This has become my favorite caramel sauce to drizzle over ice-creams! Thanks for posting and congratulations on becoming a finalist!
9 months ago fiveandspice
Emily is a trusted source on Scandinavian Cuisine.
The looks fantastic! What a clever take on salted caramel.
9 months ago SaraBelle
This looks delicious! I must admit, have never even used, let alone bought white Miso. So can I ask what brand you use? or recommend? or at least some of your favorites? Thanks:) Looking forward to trying this out:)
9 months ago theminx
I'm not really a big miso user and have only ever bought one brand of miso - Westbrae Naturals. I can usually find it at Whole Foods, and sometimes Wegman's. Their brown rice miso is also really good in this caramel sauce recipe, btw. I'm somewhat of a non-traditional cook, so when I do use miso, it's because I want to add a salty umami flavor to a dish, when soy sauce just doesn't seem to be enough. What I like about miso, particularly miso that comes in a resealable tub, is that it keeps forever in the back of the fridge.
9 months ago theminx
Thanks for trying my caramel! I have to say...I had a spoonful of it the other day, from a month's-old batch, and it gets better and better as it sits.
9 months ago fearlessem
Ugh, and now I feel guilty for posting a negative opinion... I do think this is one of the struggles with Food52 -- It is such a warm community that I find it extra hard to hard to come back and say I didn't like something, for fear of hurting the poster's feelings...
9 months ago theminx
Don't feel bad! Everyone has different tastes! Some people like funky, some people don't! lol :)
9 months ago mrslarkin
Mrs. Larkin is a trusted source on Baking.
might also be the brand of white miso. I've tried different brands, some so good I can eat it straight out of the container, and some real funky super-fermented types that I hate.
Congrats theminx! Can't wait to try this with my favorite white miso.
9 months ago fearlessem
I don't want to be a wet blanket, but I tested this and really didn't like it... I thought it sounded brilliant -- a way to add umami to caramel... But to me it just tasted... Funky. And not in a good way. Maybe if the miso was cut in half...
9 months ago Meatballs&Milkshakes
Congratulations! I can't quite imagine what this must taste like, so I think I will have to try it!
9 months ago bulldawgmama
Your recipe looks delicious. I don't have a microwave so I am not sure the best way to reheat in Step 3. What would you suggest?
9 months ago theminx
Hi, and thanks! You could always just put it in a small saucepan and warm it over low heat until fluid. Not too long, because you don't want to turn the sauce into a harder caramel product.
9 months ago savorthis
Congrats on being a finalist. I tested this recipe and not only was it good, but it was just in time for the ice cream contest!