Lavender Caramel Sauce: A Topping for Door County Ice Cream

Ask anyone who has spent a summer in Door County, and they will tell you that ice cream is practically a required stop. Cones in hand on the dock in Ephraim, a sundae after a long bike ride through Peninsula State Park, a scoop of something cherry on a warm evening in Baileys Harbor. Ice cream is part of the rhythm of the peninsula. This lavender caramel sauce is our way of bringing a little of that summer feeling home, any time of year.

It is rich, buttery and deeply golden, with a soft floral note from culinary lavender that keeps each spoonful from tasting too heavy. Drizzle it over vanilla ice cream, swirl it into a sundae or spoon it warm over apple crisp. At Wilder Farms, where we grow more than 20,000 lavender plants near Baileys Harbor, lavender caramel is a lovely reminder that this plant belongs in the kitchen as much as in the garden.

Why Lavender and Caramel Work Together

Caramel is all about deep, toasty sweetness. Lavender adds a bright, herbal lift that cuts through the richness and makes the sauce taste more complex. The two meet somewhere between floral and buttery, a little like a good honey.

The trick is balance. Lavender should be a gentle background note, not the main event. A short steep in warm cream gives the sauce a clean lavender flavor without any bitterness or soapy taste.

Choosing Culinary Lavender

For caramel, you want lavender grown and dried for food, with a sweet, soft flavor.

• Use culinary buds. Our Lavender Culinary Buds are dried for cooking and easy to measure.
• Favor sweet English lavender. Varieties of Lavandula angustifolia, such as Hidcote, which we grow at Wilder Farms, have a sweeter, gentler flavor than lavandins.
• Save lavandins for sachets. Tall, intensely fragrant varieties like Phenomenal are better suited to bundles and sachets than to desserts.
• Never use essential oil. Essential oils are highly concentrated and are not meant to be eaten. Dried culinary buds or a culinary extract are the safe choice.

Lavender Caramel Sauce Recipe

Makes about 1 1/2 cups

Ingredients

• 1 cup heavy cream
• 1 1/2 teaspoons dried culinary lavender buds
• 1 cup granulated sugar
• 1/4 cup water
• 6 tablespoons unsalted butter, cut into pieces, at room temperature
• 1/2 teaspoon fine sea salt (or more to taste)
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Instructions

1. Infuse the cream. In a small saucepan, warm the cream over medium heat until it just begins to steam. Do not let it boil. Remove from heat, stir in the lavender buds, cover and steep for 15 minutes. Strain through a fine-mesh sieve, pressing gently on the buds. Keep the cream warm.
2. Cook the sugar. In a heavy, light-colored saucepan, combine the sugar and water. Stir gently over medium heat until the sugar dissolves, then stop stirring. Let the mixture bubble, swirling the pan occasionally, until it turns a deep amber color, about 8 to 12 minutes. Watch closely, since caramel can go from golden to burnt quickly.
3. Add the butter. Remove the pan from the heat and whisk in the butter. The caramel will bubble up vigorously, so stand back.
4. Add the cream. Slowly pour in the warm lavender cream while whisking. The mixture will bubble again. Keep whisking until smooth.
5. Finish. Return the pan to low heat for 1 minute, whisking, then remove from heat and stir in the salt and vanilla.
6. Cool. Let the sauce cool for 10 to 15 minutes. It thickens as it cools.

Store in a glass jar in the refrigerator for up to 2 weeks. Warm gently in a saucepan or in short bursts in the microwave before serving.

Tips for Perfect Caramel

Caramel is simple, but it rewards attention. A few habits make all the difference:

• Use a heavy pan. A thick-bottomed saucepan heats evenly and helps prevent scorching.
• Choose a light-colored pan. It makes it much easier to see the color of the caramel as it cooks.
• Have everything ready. Measure the butter, cream, salt and vanilla before you start. Caramel moves fast at the end.
• Don't stir the sugar. Once the sugar dissolves, swirl the pan instead of stirring to avoid crystallization.
• Warm the cream. Adding cold cream to hot caramel can make it seize. Warm cream blends in smoothly.
• Be careful. Hot sugar is extremely hot. Keep kids and pets out of the kitchen while you work, and wear an oven mitt.

Troubleshooting Common Caramel Problems

Even experienced cooks run into trouble with caramel now and then. Here is how to fix the most common issues:

• The sugar crystallized. If the syrup turns grainy, add a few tablespoons of water, return it to low heat and stir gently until it dissolves again. Then let it cook without stirring.
• The caramel seized. If it hardens when you add the cream, return the pan to low heat and whisk until it melts smoothly.
• It tastes bitter. The sugar went a little too dark. Next time, pull it off the heat when it reaches a deep amber.
• It is too thin. Simmer it gently for a few more minutes. Remember it thickens as it cools.
• It is too thick. Whisk in a splash of warm cream until it reaches the right consistency.

Variations to Try

Once you have the basic recipe down, try a few twists:

• Salted lavender caramel: Increase the salt to 1 teaspoon and sprinkle flaky sea salt on top before serving.
• Honey lavender caramel: Replace 2 tablespoons of the sugar with honey for a warm, floral sweetness.
• Lavender bourbon caramel: Stir in 1 to 2 tablespoons of bourbon with the vanilla for a grown-up version.
• Extra floral: For a stronger lavender note, add a few drops of a culinary lavender extract with the vanilla. Our Lavender Extract is made for drinks and desserts. Start small and taste.

How to Serve Lavender Caramel

Ice cream is the obvious match, but lavender caramel is versatile.

• Vanilla ice cream: The classic pairing. A scoop of good vanilla with warm lavender caramel is hard to beat.
• Cherry sundaes: Layer vanilla ice cream, Door County tart cherries and lavender caramel, then top with whipped cream and toasted pecans.
• Apple crisp or pie: Drizzle warm caramel over a fall apple crisp or a slice of pie.
• Brownies: Spoon over a warm brownie for a decadent dessert.
• Cheesecake: Pour a thin layer over a plain cheesecake.
• Coffee: Stir a spoonful into a latte for a lavender caramel coffee.
• Dipping sauce: Serve with sliced apples or pears for an easy snack.

A Door County Sundae Bar

For a gathering with family or friends, set up a sundae bar that celebrates the peninsula. Offer a few flavors of ice cream, a warm jar of lavender caramel, a bowl of Door County cherries, whipped cream, toasted nuts and crumbled shortbread. Guests can build their own creations, and the lavender caramel becomes the star of the table.

Lavender Caramel as a Gift

A jar of homemade lavender caramel makes a lovely holiday or hostess gift. Pour the cooled sauce into a small mason jar, tie a sprig of dried lavender to the lid with twine and add a tag with storage and warming instructions. Pair with a pint of ice cream or a bag of homemade cookies for a complete treat.

For more gift ideas, browse our seasonal gifts collection for lavender pantry treats, candles and body care.

Visit Us in Door County

Island Lavender by Wilder in Ephraim is open Tuesday through Sunday from 10 to 5, with culinary lavender and more than 160 lavender products. Call the shop at 920-737-1531 with any questions. Wilder Farms is at 9668 State Highway 57 in Baileys Harbor, WI 54202, where our fields reach peak bloom each July. If you are planning a stay, The Wilder Inn in Ephraim (wilderinn.com) sits on Eagle Harbor, within easy walking distance of local restaurants and sandy beaches.