European brand brings salted caramel back on trend
From snacks to beverages and products like scented candles and essential oils, salted caramel was one of the hottest flavors in 2008. It is believed to have originated in France, after chocolatier Henri le Roux opened shop in Brittany. His culinary creation was born from the idea of using the key ingredient of the region, salted butter, to make innovative sweets.
Salted caramel became a staple in the US. Salted caramel’s growth in popularity paved the way for the creation of other confections. It is the ideal flavoring for dairy-related products due to its butter, cream, and sugar components. It is perfect for cold desserts.
Bringing the trend back to life in the Philippines is GROM Gelato, a brand imported from Europe and known for its pure and authentic frozen treats. Its texture and taste far surpass many other ice cream brands.
For those who may not know, the Italian word gelato directly translates to ice cream. And yet, the two are different from one another. Gelato is the creamier, silkier, smoother, and denser cousin of ice cream. The former is also served 10 to 15 Fahrenheit warmer than the latter. Gelato comes with a spade, an Italian spatula made for the cold treat, unlike ice cream, which is normally scooped.
GROM marries the cloying sweetness of sugar with salt in its new flavor, the Caramello Salato or Salted Caramel. There is a good balance of white cane sugar and Himalayan pink salt in each pint. The pink-hued sea salt brings out and prolongs the subtle sweetness of the sugar. There is a generous amount of caramel flakes sourced from Belgium and France that add an extra layer of texture.
‘You can’t buy happiness, but you can buy gelato, which is pretty much the same thing.’
Best paired with hazelnut torroncino, or in contrast with dark chocolate, the salted caramel variant can be complemented with anything.
GROM’s philosophy lies in the natural, staying true to its mission of offering only the most authentic Italian flavors with the finest ingredients.Salted Caramel comes in 460mL pints for ₱499 at select supermarkets, convenience stores, and community resellers nationwide, as well as e-commerce platforms Lazada and Shopee