Sweet and salty | Salt in desserts? Yes, it works like magic and it's trending

Salt in dessert, it's a raging trend now

For an offbeat, out-of-the-ordinary and exotic dessert, here is an element of wow on your dinner table. From caramel ganache to caramel cheesecake and kheer, let's tickle your taste buds with three irresistible salty, sweet dessert recipes shared by well known chefs. But why salt in dessert? Because salted caramel does its trick with a well-rounded flavour, giving a perfect balance of sweetness and salinity, and hence its everybody's favourite these days.

Flourless Chocolate Cake With Salted Caramel Ganache

By Chef Kapil Dubey, Executive Chef, The Leela Gandhinagar

Portion size: Serves 6 pieces

Ingredients: 

For Flourless Cake: Butter 100 gm;  70% Sao Thome Chocolate 200gm;  Fresh Cream 200 gm;  Icing Sugar 100gm;  Cocoa Powder 20gm; Vanilla paste 2 gm;  Eggs 3;

For Salted Caramel Ganache: Sugar 200 gm; Butter 120 gm; Pink Salt 5 gm;  Fresh cream 250 gm; Milk Chocolate 175 gm

Method:

For Flourless Cake: Preheat The Oven To 170 degrees C / Grease and flour an 8-inch square pan and set it aside / Sieve icing sugar and ocoa powder and set it aside / Heat cream and butter in a sauce pan and pour it over chocolate and mix well / Add eggs and vanilla paste and mix well / Finally, add cocoa powder and icing sugar and with a wire whisk combine everything / Spread batter into prepared pan / Bake in the preheated oven on water bath for about 30-35 minutes or until the center is completely set / Let it cool briefly before frosting

For Salted Caramel Ganache:  Add granulated sugar in a saucepan over low heat. Let the sugar melt and caramelise without increasing the heat. You will see it turn into a light golden colour / Add the cubed butter and use a wooden spoon to mix it in. Add salt and mix it as well / Add warm fresh cream. Be careful: the caramel will sizzle when you add cream. Use the wooden spoon to combine everything and lightly keep stirring till the mixture becomes slightly thick / Pour the caramel over chopped chocolate and use a whisk to combine. Chill in the fridge for half-an-hour and use.

Montage: Demold the cake and cut it in rounds/ Pipe ganache on top and garnish it with chocolate stick and sprinkle sea salt on top.

Choco-Lavender Kheer with Salted Carmel crunch

By Chef Nimish Bhatia, Chef Mentor & Consultant, Bengaluru

Portion size: 4

Ingredients: Rice 100 gm; Sugar 120 gm; Lavender flowers 10 gm; White Chocolate 20 gm; Milk Maid 40 gm; Khoya 40 gm; Milk 240 ml; Himalayan Crystal salt 12 gm

Method: Wash and boil the rice. When it is 75 percent done, add milk. Let this rice be little over done. Now add 90 gm sugar. Wash lavender flowers and slowly add the grated  khoya and milk maid. This should be done at a very slow heat for the flowers to impart the flavours to the kheer. Finish with grated white chocolate and allow it to cool down. Take another pan and heat the sugar until the sugar becomes golden brown, turn off the heat and add the crystal salt, coat it with caramel well and allow it to cool down . As it cools down, beat this salted caramel  and use this as a garnish to the lavender kheer. Salted caramel is the taste changer, this will blend with the creamy texture of the kheer and flavourful lavender flowers.

Salted Caramel Cheesecake

By Chef Amit Sharma, Love and Cheesecake, Mumbai

Ingredients: Graham cracker crumbs 1 1/2 cups; Granulated sugar 1/4 cup; Unsalted butter, melted 6tbs; Cream cheese, softened 32 ounces; Large eggs 4; vanilla extract 1 teaspoon;  salted caramel sauce 1/2 cup;  sea salt 1/2 teaspoon

Method: Preheat your oven to 350°F / In a mixing bowl, combine the graham cracker crumbs, 1/4 cup granulated sugar, and melted butter. Mix well / Press the mixture into the bottom of a 9-inch spring form pan. Use a flat surface to press the mixture down firmly /  Bake the crust for 10 minutes, then set it aside to cool / In a large mixing bowl, beat the cream cheese and 1 and 1/2 cups granulated sugar until creamy / Add the eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition/ Stir in the vanilla extract, salted caramel sauce, and sea salt / Pour the cheesecake mixture onto the cooled crust / Bake the cheesecake for 45-50 minutes, or until the centre is almost set / Remove the cheesecake from the oven and let it cool for at least 30 minutes / Once cooled, spread additional salted caramel sauce on top of the cheesecake / Keep the cheesecake in the refrigerator for at least 2 hours before serving.