Salted Tahini Caramel Affogato

I am so excited to tell you about this recipe, I jumping up and down with excitement.

Figuratively speaking.

But LITERALLY speaking if we’re talking about the moment I tasted this salted tahini caramel sauce. I actually jumped around in my kitchen. It’s that good.

This caramel sauce is the key to the easiest (no, really), last-minute dessert idea for your Thanksgiving menu. If you’re like me, you probably already have your menu well planned out and maybe you’ve even started shopping for non-perishable ingredients? That’s usually the stage I’m in one week out from the big day.

If there is ANY wiggle room in your plans left, I beg of you: let it be for these salted tahini caramel affogatos! They are heaven. And while they are impressive, they are so, so simple to put together.

The salted tahini caramel sauce is the only real work involved here, and even that isn’t difficult at all. It just takes some patience. Oh, and you should pay attention while it’s bubbling away on the stove. I lost track of time while dancing around my kitchen to Lizzo and I burnt the first batch of caramel. Don’t be like me. Watch the caramel!

The caramel itself is silky and luscious, just like it should be, but it has that extra something from the nutty tahini. Tahini, to me, has a natural nutty sweetness and also a touch of bitterness. But not in a bad way! It’s a good bitterness, and it shines through in this caramel sauce. It makes the flavor so much more complex and interesting. One taste of this caramel sauce, and I was sold. SO GOOD.

Affogato is one of my favorite desserts. Primarily because of how delicious it is, but also because of its simplicity. Essentially, it’s just hot espresso poured over cold ice cream. That’s it! We’re adding the caramel element to elevate things a bit. To make things more interesting.

In honor of the holidays.

I love this as a dessert idea after a big meal like Thanksgiving dinner. You can make the caramel sauce ahead and reheat just before serving. You’re probably going to have ice cream and coffee on hand ANYWAY for dessert, so why not throw this concoction together? Heck, serve it alongside the pumpkin and apple pies.

For me? You can hold the pie. Give me all the caramel.

Salted Tahini Caramel Affogato

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• Author: Molly
• Total Time: 10 minutes
• Yield: Makes 1 1/2 cups of caramel 1x

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Ingredients

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For the Salted Tahini Caramel Sauce:

• 1 cup sugar
• 1¼ cups heavy cream
• 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
• 2 teaspoons vanilla bean paste or extract
• 3 tablespoons tahini
• 2 teaspoons flaky sea salt

For the Affogato:

• The caramel sauce
• Vanilla ice cream
• Strong coffee or espresso, hot
• Flaky sea salt, for garnish

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Instructions

For the Salted Tahini Caramel Sauce:

1. Place the sugar in a saucepan over medium heat.
2. Melt the sugar, swirling the pan gently every now and then, until it is bubbly and a light golden color.
3. Carefully pour in the heavy cream, stirring with a wooden spoon. The mixture will bubble a lot, so do this very carefully.
4. Stir in the butter, vanilla, tahini, and sea salt and stir until everything is smooth and well mixed.
5. Remove from the heat and use right away. If making ahead, allow the caramel to cool to room temperature before storing in an airtight container in the fridge. Warm in the microwave before serving.

For the Affogato:

1. For each serving, place 2 scoops of vanilla ice cream in a serving dish. Pour roughly 3 tablespoons of the caramel sauce over the ice cream.
2. Pour ¼ cup hot espresso (or coffee) over each serving of ice cream, garnish with a sprinkling of sea salt, and serve immediately.

Notes

Caramel sauce adapted from here.

• Cook Time: 10 minutes
• Category: dessert