6 of Pune’s Most Delicious Salted Caramel-Infused Desserts

A food trend that seems to have no intention of fading away (and for good reason), salted caramel is pretty much a godsend for those of us with a not-so-sweet tooth. This unusual piece of confectionary features a happy union of two seemingly dissonant elements, salt and sugar – think bursts of savouriness playing delicious interludes in an otherwise entirely sweet mouthful.  

This magical combination of toasty sugar, rich butter and salt is found in various forms across patisseries in the city. Fat Cats Café on Salunkhe Vihar Road does a beautiful home-made salted caramel ice cream. Smooth, velvety and dripping with that charming ‘homely’ touch, it is quite the perfect thing to lap up in this sultry weather and a refreshing change from those packaged frozen treats laden with artificial flavours and additives that we are used to. The salted caramel and chocolate tart at Dezio in Koregaon Park is a little heavier on the tummy but equally irresistible – who could, after all, reject a pastry with a crisp, buttery crust that tastes bittersweet, smoky and savoury all at once?  

At Terttulia, salted caramel is incorporated into a panna cotta, giving the classic Italian dessert a savoury spin. The dense pudding, which is also infused with melted white chocolate and hints of Baileys Irish coffee liqueur, has a gelatinous texture and sits on a base of biscotti crumbs. It comes served with some nutty, golden strands of caramel sauce on the side. Le Plaisir Patisserie & Bistro on Prabhat Road does the more popular salted caramel macarons, which are basically dainty, light-as-air cookies featuring almond and meringue shells packed with creamy fillings.

Forennte makes salted caramel truffles, which make for tasty bite-sized goodies – the best thing to pop into your mouth if you do not feel like a fancy dessert. Sautéed Stories, on the other hand, whips up a salted caramel milkshake – a thick, sweet-salty, substantial glassful.