Thai Sweet Chili and Caramel Topping

By
Darlene Schmidt
Darlene Schmidt
Darlene Schmidt is a cookbook author and culinary teacher who specializes in Thai cuisine.
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Updated on 06/6/21
Vanilla ice cream
ac_bnphotos / Getty Images
Prep: 4 mins
Cook: 1 mins
Total: 5 mins
Servings: 2 servings
Nutrition Facts (per serving)
400 Calories
15g Fat
63g Carbs
5g Protein
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Nutrition Facts
Servings: 2
Amount per serving
Calories 400
% Daily Value*
Total Fat 15g 19%
Saturated Fat 9g 45%
Cholesterol 58mg 19%
Sodium 468mg 20%
Total Carbohydrate 63g 23%
Dietary Fiber 1g 5%
Total Sugars 57g
Protein 5g
Vitamin C 3mg 15%
Calcium 224mg 17%
Iron 1mg 5%
Potassium 393mg 8%
*The % Daily Value (DV) tells you how much a nutrient in a food serving contributes to a daily diet. 2,000 calories a day is used for general nutrition advice.
(Nutrition information is calculated using an ingredient database and should be considered an estimate.)

Thai food has always seemed magical to me, but nothing has astounded me more than the magic of this simple ice cream topping recipe. Don't be put off by the ingredients—they may not sound like dessert, but when they're stirred together and drizzled over vanilla ice cream, frozen yogurt, or other frozen vanilla desserts, you will have an incredible dessert recipe that will wow your friends and family. A little sweet, a little spicy, this ice cream topping is a gourmet food lover's treat. I call it "Butterscotch with a Kick". And it only takes 5 minutes to make!

Ingredients

Thai Sweet Chili Caramel Sauce:

For the Ice Cream:

  • 2 cups vanilla ice cream, or nondairy vanilla ice cream

  • 2 tablespoons fresh mint leaves, or basil leaves, for garnish

  • 2 tablespoons chopped peanuts, or chopped cashews, optional, for garnish

  • 1 teaspoon red chili flakes, optional

Steps to Make It

  1. Gather the ingredients.

  2. Combine all sauce ingredients together in a saucepan.

  3. Place saucepan over medium heat, stirring continually until sauce is well combined and warm (but not boiling) - about 1 minute.

  4. Place 2 to 3 scoops vanilla ice cream in each serving dish. Now spoon the warm sauce over, dividing the sauce up equally (there will be enough for 2 people - double the sauce recipe for 4 to 5 people).

  5. Serve immediately, or see additional serving options below.

  6. Enjoy!

Tips

After the sauce has been spooned over ice cream, garnish each dish with:

  • a few fresh mint or basil leaves
  • some crushed peanuts or Sweet & Spicy Glazed Cashews.
  • an extra sprinkling of dried red chili flakes (this looks pretty and spices things up a bit more!)
  • Adds a final topping of Grand Marnier (nice for extra special occasions, such as a dinner party).

Variation

If you're making this for vegetarians, use salt, or look for vegetarian fish sauce, which is usually available at Vietnamese food stores, online, or well-stocked grocery stores.

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