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Caramel with a touch of salt is universally rich and sweet, thanks to its buttery goodness. As important as the sweet taste is, the salty kick that follows is equally significant. You can’t find a flavor combination quite like that anywhere else. Sea-salt caramel is more than a trend. It’s become essential to many treats. How did this ideal sweet plus salty mix come about?

Origins of Sea-salt Caramel 

The story begins in France, Brittany, to be precise. This is a coastal area renowned for its salt-tinged air, which enriches the soil. Among many other things, this has helped the region to gain fame as one of the world’s best producers of salt butter. 

In the 1970s, chocolatier and caramel maker Henri Le Roux set out to create a confection that would evoke his roots, using Brittany’s prized salt butter, an intensely flavored caramel base, and crushed nuts to add crunch. He called it “caramel au beurre salé.” 

The flavor may not have been well-known in Brittany, but it was well-received there, and it wasn’t given a lot of attention outside the region until something unexpected happened. The first global awareness of salted caramel is primarily due to another French culinary standout, Pierre Hermé, a noted pastry chef in Paris. He introduced a salted caramel macaron during the 1990s, elevating a flavor that was once merely a local attraction to the high-end pastry category. 

This was a major for salted caramel, as its flavor movement started to spread worldwide. Pastry chefs and others began experimenting with salted caramel to discover its appeal and versatility. It began to appear on the best restaurant menus in places like New York City and was featured in magazines and gourmet publications. 

What Makes It Special? 

What makes the combination of flavors so pleasurable? To find out why, we must delve into fascinating science about how flavors affect us. Our brains are designed to enjoy contrasts, so this combination of sweet and salty really pleases our taste buds.

The appeal of sweetness scarcely needs any explanation. The salt adds a savory note to the experience, a technique sometimes referred to as “flavor layering.” In this case, layering heightens sweetness detection, comforting the taste buds with the rich caramel flavor. This is a rich and complex pairing, one that surpasses what either flavor can achieve alone. 

As the flavor permeated the gourmet food scene, there were a couple more key moments that helped more people to embrace it. Starbucks introduced the seasonal drink, Salted Caramel Hot Chocolate, in 2008, creating a surprisingly big hit with customers. At this point, it was no longer just available as a specialty in fine dining spaces but a popular item that could be found anywhere. 

A Flexible Flavor

The flexibility of sea-salt caramel is a primary reason for its enduring appeal, from the average consumer to the pastry chef to the flavor manufacturer. It can be used as a gooey center of chocolate bars, as a crunchy addition to brownie mixes, and as a fine powder on cappuccinos. It shows up in thick pastry fillings, smooth ice cream flavors, and as the bottom layer of protein bars. It has even made its way into savory dishes in the form of a glaze for roasted meats and vegetables, as well as a star in craft cocktails and brewing.