Salted Caramel Buttercream

I decided to doll up some leftover vanilla buttercream. Like I mentioned in my last post, I came across a jar of Fleur de Sel during a random trip to ROSS, so I instantly thought of salted caramel.

This was especially easy to make, since I already had about 2 cups leftover buttercream from my last batch. All I had to do was prepare the caramel and mix it in.

Easy Caramel Sauce:

1 cup sugar

4 TBSP water

1/2 cup heavy cream

Fleur de Sel or a flaky sea salt

Medium saucepan or small pot with lid
Whisk (for mixing in cream ONLY)

1. Pour your sugar in your pan and add water

2. On low heat, swirl your pot around until the sugar is nearly dissolved. There should be no bubbling at this point, just enough eat to help. This takes about 5 minutes

3. Yep, I said SWIRL - no spatulas, no spoons. SWIRL that pot/pan! Stirring with a utensil creates condensation and possible contamination - whatever the reason, it risks your sugar of crystallizing and no one wants that.

4. When sugar is nearly dissolve, raise the heat to medium high - allowing the sugar water mixture to bubble and boil.

5. Once it starts to boil, cover the pan with the lid for 2 minutes.

6. After 2 minutes, remove the lid, and swirl the pan frequently until the sugar turns a deep amber color. It is important to be swirling and taking the sugar on and off the heat to prevent burning.

7. Once an amber color, remove from heat, and add heavy cream slowly - this is when you can use your whisk to mix it in. Be cautious, the sugar will spatter and steam because of the the reaction with the cold cream.

8. Once your caramel is mixed, let it sit for about 2 minutes to cool down.

9. Now your caramel is ready to be mixed in with your buttercream! Add as much caramel to your taste - I added about 1 cup of caramel per 2 cups of buttercream - but you don't have to use it all.

10. Add in about a teaspoon of salt to your buttercream, mix, and taste. Add more if you want, but I don't like to add much.

Voila! Salted caramel buttercream ready to be piped onto delicious cupcakes or macarons! Or you can just eat it with a spoon, I won't judge you.

I piped them onto vanilla and dark chocolate mini cupcakes, the dark chocolate really complimented the sweet buttercream. I devoured several cupcakes before I decided I could finally share them.