Are you one of the many Americans who can’t get enough of anything offering a sweet and salty flavor combination? A long-time favorite of top French and American chefs, it has only been in recent years where salted caramel candy and other sweet-salty caramel food and beverage treats have gained widespread acceptance in the U.S. If you’re a connoisseur of all things sweet and salty, then salted caramels may be the perfect choice when it comes to pleasing your palate.
Like many fine food trends, the invention of salted caramels happened in France. While heavily salted caramels have been a traditional delicacy in the country’s Brittany region for many years, it took a little extra culinary creativity to bring them to the foodie forefront. In the late 1990s, Parisian pastry chef Pierre Hermé, noted for his originality and fearless experimentation, developed a mouthwatering salted caramel macaroon that became all the rage in France, and eventually with top chefs and foodies in the United States. By 2000, many of the finest restaurants in New York City were adding a touch of salt to caramel tarts and other sweet caramel dessert treats.
The irresistible sweet-salty combination of salted caramel candy captured the attention – and taste buds – of none other than Barack Obama during his initial presidential campaign in 2008. It seems that someone in his Washington State campaign operation introduced salted caramels to the future president and his wife, Michelle. It wasn’t long before Obama’s aides were ensuring there was always an ample supply of salted caramel candy on hand at every remaining stop on the campaign trail. It is said that the president’s personal favorite is caramel candy enrobed in dark chocolate and covered with sea salt.
The rise in popularity of salted caramel candy and related products can be tied to interest in a caramel ingredient known as dulce de leche. Literally meaning candy of milk, this pourable form of caramel is used to make all types of sweet dessert treats, many of which are made even more scrumptious with the addition of salt. You will also find a number of dulce de leche products in grocery stores featuring well-known brands such as Häagen-Dazs, Jell-O and Nestle. Häagen-Dazs actually manufactures a salted caramel ice cream candy.
At Warrell Corp., our capabilities include manufacturing taste-tempting chocolate salted caramel ingredients that are produced at our expansive 30,000-square-foot York, Pennsylvania, facility. Chocolate panning involves covering a caramel center with a layer of chocolate and polishing the finished product to a high gloss. We include just the right amount of salt to create the ideal sweet-salty flavor combination that is a big hit with candy lovers everywhere.
Discover for yourself what makes salt and caramel the perfect flavor combo for anyone who can’t resist a sweet and salty candy treat.