Breton Salted Butter Caramel: The Traditional Recipe
Some scents are enough to evoke a whole region. Salted butter caramel is one of them: as soon as it starts to sing in the saucepan, you're already in Brittany. It's this same scent that inspired our candle La veillée salée, and the legend of Mamm Rozenn who relit the fire to guide sailors to the port. Here is the traditional recipe, simple and quick to make at home. 🧈
Why salted butter caramel is an institution in Brittany
Salted butter has never been a coincidence in Brittany: the region was once exempt from the gabelle, the salt tax, which encouraged its consumption far beyond other French provinces. Salted butter caramel was born from this habit, combining the sweetness of cooked sugar with the intensity of butter significantly saltier than average. The result is a unique balance between sugar and salt, which has since become a culinary symbol of Brittany in its own right.
Ingredients for one jar of caramel
- Sugar200 g
- Semi-salted butter80 g
- Whole liquid cream20 cl
- Fleur de sel (optional)1 pinch
Step-by-step preparation
- Pour the sugar into a heavy-bottomed saucepan and heat over medium heat, without stirring, until you get an amber caramel.
- Remove from heat and add the butter cut into pieces. Mix quickly; the caramel will crackle, which is normal.
- Warm the liquid cream, then pour it in a stream into the caramel while stirring.
- Return to low heat for 2 to 3 minutes, stirring, until you obtain a smooth and homogeneous texture.
- Add the fleur de sel if you like a more pronounced caramel, then pour into a jar.
- Let cool to room temperature before closing the jar. The caramel will thicken as it cools.
Tip: Never stir the sugar during the first cooking; this risks causing it to crystallize. Simply tilt the saucepan if necessary.
Tip: If your caramel forms lumps when you add the cream, simply put it back on very low heat for a few minutes, stirring, and it will smooth out.
Our wicks have evolved over time: we have transitioned from maple wood wicks to cotton wicks for an even more consistent burn. Depending on the collections, you may therefore find one type or the other on our creations.
Once your jar of caramel is ready, all that's missing is the atmosphere to recapture all the sweetness of this Breton recipe: a salted butter caramel-scented candle, lit on the corner of the table.
The accompanying ambiance
La veillée salée
Discover the candle →
Want to discover how our fragrances come to life, from idea to hand-poured wax? Behind the scenes of our artisanal creations takes you to our workshop in Loctudy.
