"Salted caramel" – let's just savour those words. There's something intoxicating about the name of this heady mix of melted sugar served with a touch of salt. For some people it's too rich, but I for one am obsessed with the contradicting flavours – and luckily for salted caramel lovers like me, some of London's top restaurants, bars, chocolatiers and cafés agree.
From salted caramel cupcakes to coffees to cocktails, the dishes are everywhere. Click through to see the best salted caramel snacks that London has to offer and, more to the point, where you can get your fix.
Best For Salted Caramel Spread
Chocolatier Paul A Young has been perfecting his artisan chocolates in Islington for over ten years and along the way has become a master of salted caramel. As everything in his shop is made in house you'll get only the freshest salted caramel, whether you choose their award winning sea salted caramel truffles, salted caramel popcorn chocolate pavé or attend one of their salted caramel classes.
Our favourite though, has to be his sea salted caramel spread, which comes in a little jar that you'll be hard pushed not to polish off before even getting home. You can spread it on toast, add it to brownies or simply eat with a spoon. No judgement here.
Locations in Islington, Soho & Bank
Photo: Courtesy of Paul A Young.
Best For Salted Caramel Cocktail
Salted caramel and alcohol: a deadly combination that we wish had been in our lives for longer. Luckily for us it is available at Urban Coterie where you can order a Salted Caramel Old Fashioned, a delicious mix of Elijah Craig 12yrs Old Whisky and Salted Caramel Liqueur with just a hint of chestnut, a touch of vanilla bitters and a dash of extra salt.
Settle in at their Sky Bar to enjoy not only this mouthwatering combination, but also unparalleled views over East London. What could be sweeter?
151-157 City Rd, London EC1V 1JH
020 3837 3108
Photo: Courtesy of Urban Coterie.
Best For Salted Caramel Cupcakes
Cupcakes, you either love them or... no, that's it. If you are a cupcake lover then you will likely already know about Crumbs and Doilies, a Soho gem that serves baked creations covered in delectable, home-made toppings.
If you haven't yet tried Crumbs and Doilies, there's no better introduction than their Salted Caramel Pretzel Cupcake. A rich chocolate mudcake, crowned with a thick swirl of salted caramel frosting, drizzled with caramel sauce and finished with a salted pretzel. Something about the extra salt and crunch of the pretzel perfects this pint-sized cake.
Crumbs and Doilies
1 Kingly St, London W1B 5PW
020 8874 8885
Photo: via @crumbsanddoilies
Best For Salted Caramel Truffles
Prestat has been providing Londoners with lovingly hand-made truffles since 1902 and have done some marvellous things in that time. They have inspired a chocolate-loving Roald Dahl to write a book centred around their truffles, sold a selection box to Cher and even provided Buckingham Palace with chocolate for the Queen.
But perhaps their greatest accomplishment to date is their dark chocolate sea salt truffles. Filled to the brim with full-cream caramel and studded with flakes of crystal sea salt, these truffles are surrounded by rich 70% cocoa chocolate and finished with a dusting of cocoa. If the author of Charlie and the Chocolate Factory recommends them...
Prestat
14 Princes Arcade, Piccadilly, London SW1Y 6DS
020 8961 8555
Photo: via @Prestat.
Best For Grown Up Salted Caramel
Not all sweets should be for kids, sometimes you need salted caramel served to you like the adult that you are (even if you still giggle at the name Cockfosters). If you're looking for a more sophisticated way to be served salted caramel you cannot do better than Caravan. Their salted caramel affogato is served, like all their dishes, by friendly and considerate staff and on crockery that makes us want to smash our Ikea 365 into smithereens.
The star of the show is, as always, the salted caramel but it does have to contend with scoops of perfectly balanced, creamy vanilla ice cream and a freshly brewed shot of Caravan's in house blended espresso. Yum.
Caravan
Locations in Kings Cross & Exmouth Market
Photo: via @mondomulia.
Best For Salted Caramel Doughnuts
The 21st century has seen the complete transformation of the doughnut, from stodgy rings occasionally dotted with a few rainbow sprinkles to creations of freshly fried dough topped with artisan ingredients. At the head of the doughnut creativity curve is Crosstown Doughnuts, who make every part of their doughnuts, from dough to icing, in their London base on Broadwick Street.
Their Sea Salt Caramel & Banana Cream Doughnut is no exception. Made with their signature sourdough chocolate dough – filled with the freshest banana cream, smothered in caramel icing and perfectly finished with salted caramel and chocolate.
Crosstown Doughnuts
4 Broadwick St, London W1F 0DA
020 7734 8873
Photo: Courtesy of Crosstown Doughnuts.
Best For Salted Caramel Hot Chocolate
Whatever the weather, nothing could be more enjoyable than a warming cup of hot chocolate. Especially if that hot chocolate is made from Hotel Chocolat drinking chocolate and mixed with salted caramel.
To try this for yourself head to Rabot 1745, a cocoa café, restaurant and terrace nestled in the foodie paradise of Borough Market. Here you can enjoy your salted caramel hot chocolate while watching the world go by and perusing the selection of chocolates they sell in house. If you fancy something more substantial you can also choose from their full menu of chocolate and cocoa inspired dishes, from a cocoa and pulled pork croquettes to white chocolate mash. The theory, it seems, is: "Everything tastes better with chocolate".
Rabot 1745
2-4 Bedale St, London SE1 9AL
020 7378 8226
Photo: via @rabot1745.
Best For Salted Caramel Brownies
If salted caramel has a home, it would have to be Fatties Bakery. This Camberwell based purveyor of baked goods has only one focus, salted caramel, and how to work it into as many delicious recipes as possible. You can check out her Instagram to see all the amazing ways she has actually managed this.
If you're a Fatties bakery first timer then you have to try her salted caramel brownies. Nicknamed "Goldmine" as they are so rich, these deep, dark, delicious brownies are almost too stuffed with salted caramel goodness to eat the whole thing in one go. Call it a challenge.
Fatties Bakery
Photo: via @fattiesbakery.
Best For Salted Caramel Ice Cream
Snowflake Gelato: Founded by two lovers of true Italian gelato, all of their products are made in the most natural and hand crafted way possible. Each delicious scoop begins with organic milk from Jersey cows and pure spring water from Shropshire. It's then hand-churned in the traditional Italian method to make it the creamiest it can be.
With flavours from around the world, it can be difficult to choose which ice cream to go for, however, as you can probably guess, we're rooting for Snowflake's sea salted caramel gelato is the perfect mix of sweet, salty and creamy to hit the spot. Boom.
Snowflake Gelato
2 Wardour St, London W1F 0TP
020 7287 1045
Photo: via @snowflakegelatoLike what you see? How about some more R29 goodness, right here?
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