Brown Butter Caramel Sauce: A Nutty and Silky Finishing Drizzle

Instructions:

1. Place the 113g of butter in a heavy bottomed stainless steel saucepan over medium heat. Melt it until it begins to foam and pop. Note: This is the water evaporating out of the butter.
2. Whisk the butter constantly as it turns from yellow to a toasted tan color with tiny brown specks. Stop immediately once it smells nutty and pour it into a small heat proof bowl to stop the cooking process.
3. In the same saucepan (no need to wash it!), combine the 200g granulated sugar, 60ml water, 15ml light corn syrup, and 2.5ml lemon juice. Stir gently just until the sugar is moistened.
4. Turn the heat to medium high and stop stirring entirely. Let the mixture come to a boil. Note: Stirring at this stage is the #1 cause of grainy caramel.
5. Use a wet pastry brush to wipe down any sugar crystals on the sides of the pan. Watch as the bubbles turn from clear to pale gold, then to a deep mahogany amber until it reaches 340°F-350°F.
6. Once you hit that deep amber, slowly whisk in the room temperature heavy cream. The mixture will steam and bubble vigorously, so pour slowly and keep your hands back.
7. Add the reserved browned butter, sea salt, and vanilla bean paste to the pot.
8. Whisk until the emulsion is completely smooth and velvety.
9. Allow the sauce to cool in the pan for 5 minutes before transferring it to a clean glass jar.