• Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar
  • Skip to footer
WhānauKai
  • WhānauKai
  • Whānaukai Recipes
    • Bread – Parāoa
    • Cakes – Keke
    • Slices – Keke Tapatahi
    • Biscuits – Pihikete
    • No Bake – Tunu kore
    • Savoury – Kai Mōkarakara
    • Pastry – Pōhā
    • Dessert – Purini
    • Peanut Butter – Pata Pīnati
    • Techniques – Āhua ā-mahi
  • About Naomi Toilalo
    • The Giving Series
  • Gallery
  • Whānaukai Cookbook
    • Facebook
    • Instagram
menu icon
go to homepage
  • WhānauKai
  • Whānaukai Recipes
    • Bread – Parāoa
    • Cakes – Keke
    • Slices – Keke Tapatahi
    • Biscuits – Pihikete
    • No Bake – Tunu kore
    • Savoury – Kai Mōkarakara
    • Pastry – Pōhā
    • Dessert – Purini
    • Peanut Butter – Pata Pīnati
    • Techniques – Āhua ā-mahi
  • About Naomi Toilalo
    • The Giving Series
  • Gallery
  • Whānaukai Cookbook
    • Facebook
    • Instagram
search icon
Homepage link
  • WhānauKai
  • Whānaukai Recipes
    • Bread – Parāoa
    • Cakes – Keke
    • Slices – Keke Tapatahi
    • Biscuits – Pihikete
    • No Bake – Tunu kore
    • Savoury – Kai Mōkarakara
    • Pastry – Pōhā
    • Dessert – Purini
    • Peanut Butter – Pata Pīnati
    • Techniques – Āhua ā-mahi
  • About Naomi Toilalo
    • The Giving Series
  • Gallery
  • Whānaukai Cookbook
    • Facebook
    • Instagram
×
Home

Homemade Salted Caramel Sauce

Updated: Oct 23, 2025 · Published: Nov 1, 2024 by Naomi Toilalo WhānauKai · This post may contain affiliate links · Leave a Comment

Jump to Recipe Jump to Video Print Recipe

This Homemade Salted Caramel Sauce needed to have a place of its own to shine! The depth of flavour in this recipe is so good and I highly recommend giving it a go. There is no candy thermometer needed, all you need is a touch of focus as the sugar caramelises. Follow these simple instructions carefully and this dreamy caramel sauce will form before your eyes.

Homemade Salted Caramel Sauce

To begin the Homemade Salted Caramel Sauce, heat the huka one (caster sugar) and wai (water) over medium-high heat until it is boiling. Once all of the sugar mixture has changed colour to a a deep amber, pour in the kirīmi (cream) and stir quickly with a whisk. Add in the pata (butter) and tote (salt) and continue to whisk with the heat still on. Turn the heat to low and cook for 2 more minutes until it starts to thicken. Pour the karamea (caramel) in to a heat proof bowl or jar and stir through the wanira (vanilla). This can now be used as a runny sauce over any purini (dessert) or aihikirīmi (ice cream). If you want a thicker karamea (caramel), whakamātaohia (refrigerate) for 30 minutes and then it is ready to go.

Caramelising the sugar:

This recipe does involve caramelising sugar and for some people, that is a no go zone. For anyone who feels that way, here is my Easy Caramel recipe for you. It won't have the depth of caramelisation that this karamea (caramel) does but it is still absolutely delicious.

How to use this Homemade Salted Caramel Sauce recipe:

I use this recipe on my Chocolate Mousse and Salted Caramel Dessert and it is magical! I also love using it in cakes and often make it for my Banana Cake recipe in my cookbook.

This would also work beautifully in my Chocolate Ganache Muffins as you could swap the ganache with the karamea (caramel). It is also a perfect addition to my Simple Banana Cupcakes, drizzle it over the Peanut Butter Buttercream and take a bow at this delicious combination.

Videography and photography by Sarah Henderson.

boiling sugar
boiling sugar
Caramelised sugar
Homemade Salted Caramel Sauce
Homemade Salted Caramel Sauce
Homemade Salted Caramel Sauce
A close up shot of homemade salted caramel sauce is being drizzled in to a small ceramic bowl. It is thick and smooth.
Print Pin

Homemade Salted Caramel Sauce - Karamea Tote

A traditional style salted caramel with a base of caramelised sugar and a touch of salt.
Keyword best chocolate and salted caramel layered dessert, caramel sauce from scratch, caramel sauce from scratch nz, Caramelised sugar caramel recipe, Caramelised sugar caramel recipe nz, chocolate and salted caramel recipes, easy homemade caramel, easy homemade caramel nz, easy homemade caramel recipe, easy homemade caramel recipe nz, homemade salted caramel, homemade salted caramel nz, homemade salted caramel recipe, homemade salted caramel recipe nz, maori, maori baking, maori food, maori kai, maori recipes, salted caramel sauce from scratch, salted caramel sauce from scratch nz, te reo, te reo baking, te reo Māori, te reo maori baking
Servings 2 Cups of Karamea (caramel)

Ingredients

The Salted Caramel - Te Karamea Tote

  • 1 C (220 g) huka one (caster sugar)
  • 3 tablespoon (45 ml) wai (water)
  • ¾ C (185 ml) kirīmi (cream)
  • 75 g pata (butter, cut in to cubes)
  • 1 teaspoon (5 g) tote (salt, try using a good quality sea salt for the best flavour)
  • 2 teaspoon (10 ml) wanira (vanilla, optional)

Instructions

The Salted Caramel - Te Karamea Tote

  • Before you make the karamea (caramel), prepare all of your ingredients.
    Prepare a small bowl with cold water (wai mātao) and a pastry brush too.
  • Bring the huka one (caster sugar) and wai (water) to a boil over medium-high heat. Only stir the mixture up until the point it boils and then hands off. Swirl the pot only after that.
    If at any point sugar crystallises up the side of the pot, dip the pastry brush in cold water and rub them with it until they dissolve. This stops the entire mixture from crystallising.
    If you see the top of the huka (sugar) start to crystallise in the centre, swirl the pot a few times around and around.
  • Once all of the sugar mix has changed colour to a a deep amber, pour in the kirīmi (cream) and stir quickly with a whisk. Stir for 30 seconds - 1 minute.
    Add in the pata (butter) and tote (salt) and continue to whisk, keeping it on the heat.
  • Turn the heat to low and cook for 2 more minutes. Pour in to a heat proof bowl or jar. Stir through the wanira (vanilla), if you are using it.
    This can be used immediately as a runny sauce over any purini (dessert).
    If you want a thicker karamea (caramel), whakamātaohia (refrigerate) for 30 minutes and then it is ready to go.
  • Store this karamea (caramel) in the fridge, in a sealed jar for up to a couple of weeks.

Video

https://d14qqjrp3wb13p.cloudfront.net/wp-content/uploads/2024/11/11195427/Salted-Caramel-WV.mp4

More Dessert - Purini

  • The Cheat's Bombe Alaska is plated on a ceramic cake stand surrounded by pomegranate's, a candle and a Christmas decoration. The bombe Alaska is covered in meringue and is studded with pomegranate seeds and chopped pistachios.
    Cheat's Ice cream Bombe Alaska
  • A close up of slice of homemade lemon meringue pie is suspended in the air as it is lifted of a grey ceramic cake plate.
    Homemade Lemon Meringue Pie
  • A ball of sweet lemon pastry sits in a ceramic bowl on top of a black board that is sprinkled with flour.
    Sweet Lemon Pastry
  • A decorated smores no bake chocolate cheesecake is on a blue plate on top of a red glass cake stand. Glowing fairy lights are in the background.
    S'mores No-bake Chocolate Cheesecake

Reader Interactions

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Recipe Rating




Primary Sidebar

Footer

Categories

  • The Giving Series
  • The Giving Series — Thank you!
  • Basics – Tohutao Waiwai
  • Biscuits - Pihikete
  • Bread - Parāoa
  • Cakes - Keke
  • Dessert - Purini
  • No Bake - Tunu kore
  • Pastry - Pōhā
  • Peanut Butter - Pata Pīnati
  • Savoury - Kai Mōkarakara
  • Slices - Keke Tapatahi
  • Techniques - Āhua ā-mahi

Latest

  • Cheat's Ice cream Bombe Alaska
  • Cheese and Pesto Scrolls
  • Cheese and Tomato Scrolls
  • Peanut Butter Weetbix Slice
  • Homemade Lemon Meringue Pie

techniques

How to make Italian Meringue

White Chocolate Yogurt Cream

Parmesan Wafer Crisps

Whipped Brown Butter

Easy Homemade Vanilla Marshmallows

Naomi Toilalo

Ko Naomi Toilalo ahau!
Welcome to my kāuta,
I share recipes and my
kete of te reo Māori!

  • Facebook
  • Instagram

Copyright © 2025 WhānauKai