Perspective is a funny thing. When I was a girl, our station wagon had a hole in the floorboard. It was not a speck size hole nor was it large enough to actually be life-threatening, but it was large enough to strike fearful fantasies in a child. I remember peering into it, my frame scared to stillness, and the pavement below roaring by at rocket speed. It seemed alive to me. That hole and the rocky concrete racing. Whoosh, whoosh, whoosh. Blink. Blink. Blink. If I made any sudden movement It might sense my presence and suck me down into the abyss of the Concrete World, where I would shrink to the size of a bug and just hope that my little legs could match the momentum of the merciless ground. Meanwhile, my older brothers. You know what they were doing? Throwing pebbles and pieces of candy into the hole and watching them bounce down the road and (maybe? hopefully?) hit a few bumpers behind us. A game. MEANWHILE… the parent driving us? Probably grateful the kids are quiet and behaving so well and “Hmmm, whats for dinner”? Ahh perspective.
I was making this Maple Chai Caramel Sauce when my two year old wandered up and said it was a yucky sauce without trying it. I smiled and didn’t offer her any, which is a sure sign to a two year old that this is actually something worth trying. So, like a smart kid, she asked for a taste and her eyes lit up when it hit her tongue “This isn’t spicy!!!” Ha. Perspective.
This sauce has just a touch of spice. The chai flavors of ginger, cloves, cardamom, cinnamon. You know, the good stuff. AND it is soooo easy to make. 
Mix, heat, whisk, wait, serve. On what? Warm on vanilla ice cream, blended into coffee, on top of waffles or baked pears. People will probably be blown away. And from their perspective, you might just be some sophisticated chef serving up caramel like it ain’t no thang. You can break the news to them, “I ain’t and this is how…” or you can divert that conversation and get to the good stuff…eating up this caramel sauce.
Maple Chai Caramel Sauce
- Prep Time: 5 mins
- Cook Time: 55 mins
- Total Time: 1 hour
- Yield: 1 cup 1x
Ingredients
- 2, 13.5 oz cans of coconut milk, refrigerated
- 3/4 cup maple syrup
- 1/4 teaspoon sea salt
- 1 teaspoon ginger
- 2 teaspoons cinnamon
- 1/2 teaspoon ground cloves
- 1 teaspoon ground cardamom
- 1 teaspoon ground allspice
- 1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Instructions
- Scoop the solid cream from both cans of coconut milk and put in a saucepan along with the maple syrup and spices over medium heat (do not add the vanilla in yet).
- Bring to a gentle boil and stir continuously for 5 minutes.
- Bring heat to low and simmer until thick and sticks to a whisk or coats the back of a spoon, about 45-50 minutes. Stir in vanilla.
- Remove from heat and let sit for an hour before storing in refrigerator.
- Keeps in the fridge for up to two weeks. Reheat over gentle heat or in the microwave or serve cold.
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