Celebrating Mother's Day...Featuring Deluxe Salted Caramel Turtle Sundae #mothersday #saltedcaramel #sundae

Mother's Day is coming up this Sunday, so today I'm sharing a fabulous dessert that I created especially for my Mom. When it comes to dessert for Mom? I know one thing for sure: it MUST include chocolate! It's nearly Summer weather here in Texas, so I've created a truly  over-the-top Deluxe Salted Caramel Turtle Sundae especially for Mom. It features homemade salted caramel, rich dulce de leche ice cream, good-quality store-bought hot fudge sauce, Texas pecans, and a bit of whipped cream. To truly make this sundae deluxe, I made some mini puff pastry triangles coated in cinnamon sugar, dipped in chocolate, and sprinkled with finely chopped pecans. The homemade salted caramel sauce and puff pastry garnishes can be made a day or two ahead. That makese this sundae a snap to whip up at a moment’s notice. Serving in a clear martini glass makes a really fun presentation. This sundae is a very special dessert...for my very special Mom!

Deluxe Salted Caramel Turtle Sundae

Caramel sauce adapted from The Pioneer Woman

Ingredients (makes our sundaes):

• 1 pint dulce de leche ice creame OR good-quality vanilla ice cream instead
• 1 cup store-bought hot fudge sauce
• 1 cup chopped pecans
• 1 cup whipped cream

For the salted caramel sauce:

• 1 cup packed dark brown sugar
• 1 tsp. cinnamon
• 1/2 tsp. sea salt
• 4 tbs. butter
• ½ cup half-and-half
• 1 tsp. pure vanilla extract

For the puff pastry garnish:

• 1 sheet frozen puff pastry, thawed
• 1 cup sugar mixed with 1 tsp. cinnamon
• 4 ounces semisweet chocolate
• ½ cup chopped pecans

Directions:

Step 1: Up to two days ahead, make the salted caramel sauce. Add the brown sugar, cinnamon, sea salt, butter, and half-and-half to a non-stick saucepan. Heat over medium heat, whisking every few minutes, until the butter melts and a caramel sauce is formed. Cook for 7 minutes, then add the vanilla. The mixture will bubble quite a bit when you add the vanilla, so keep whisking and cook the sauce for an additional 1-2 minutes. Turn off heat and let the caramel cool for 5 minutes. The caramel will look on the thin side, but it thickens nicely as it cools. Pour the caramel sauce into a plastic container and cool for an hour, then store in the fridge until ready to serve.

Step 2: Make the puff pastry garnish. Cut squares of puff pastry into small triangles. Cook at 350℉ until puffed and golden – about 15-20 minutes. As soon as they come out of the oven, toss the puff pastry triangles in the cinnamon sugar and cool. Once the puff pastry is completely cool, melt the chocolate. Dip the puff pastry triangles in the melted chocolate and sprinkle with chopped pecans. Cool until the chocolate has hardened, then store the puff pastry in an airtight container or storage bag.

Step 3: To assemble the sundaes, place ½ cup of dulce de leche ice cream in four bowls or martini glasses. Drizzle with a generous amount of the hot fudge sauce and warmed salted caramel sauce. Sprinkle with chopped pecans and add a dollop of whipped cream. Just before serving, garnish with a puff pastry triangle 0r two.

Wowza...is this ever a fabulous sundae! It very rich, so small servings are perfect. The combination of decadent homemade salted caramel, hot fudge, and pecans works so nicely with the dulce de leche ice cream. The embellished puff pastry triangles add a nice pop of texture and eye appeal...and they're just plain fun. This dessert is definitely Mom-worthy! 

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