Here's Why Salted Caramel Is Sweeter Than The Regular Stuff

Salted caramel didn't exist for most people until 2008, when it suddenly showed up everywhere. Häagen-Dazs put it in their ice cream. Starbucks stirred it into hot chocolate. Even Barack Obama declared his love for the flavor. The timing might've been a fluke, but the obsession wasn't. There's a reason the flavor combination stuck and that's because salt accentuates every other flavor in your dish. In savory recipes, it's obvious: no salt, no flavor. When it comes to caramel, a pinch of salt also rounds off extreme sweetness, giving it a balanced, yet intense flavor.

There's science behind this as well. Some of the taste receptor cells contain a protein called SGLT1, which respond positively when both sugar and sodium are present. When this happens, the proteins send a stronger signal to the brain, boosting the perception of how sweet something tastes. So, while it won't be winning every popularity contest when it comes to ice cream flavors or other sweet treats, die-hard fans of the sugary stuff now know why it might taste better (read: sweeter) than regular caramel.

While it may only have become mainstream as of recently, salted caramel has a history dating back to the 1970s, when French chocolatier Henri Le Roux added a bit of salted butter to his caramel and was pleasantly surprised by the results. This discovery tapped into a fundamental culinary principle that extends beyond desserts.

Like any good relationship, the one between sugar and salt is a two-way street. Similar to how baking recipes always call for a pinch of table salt, a dash of sugar can take your savory dishes to the next level, as well. Sugar helps tame harsh flavors whether that be too much salt, bitterness, or acidity. A great example is the simple tomato sauce, where a spoonful of sugar can cut the acidity, especially if you've used overripe tomatoes. In some cases, a little bit of sugar can do a lot of heavy lifting. For example, a dish like shrimp pad Thai uses palm sugar to balance the saltiness of fish sauce, the heat of chilies, and the sour edge of tamarind — the sugar pulls complex flavors into harmony, much like salt does for caramel. 

Ultimately, salt rounds off flavors much like sugar can tie together tastes. Together, however, they create something that neither could achieve alone.