The taste test: caramel sauces and salted caramel sauces

The winner

Waitrose Seriously Buttery Caramel Dipping Sauce, £2.99 for 320g

Light in colour and not too sweet with a wonderfully creamy texture – our testers liked it so much they went back for more.

The runner-up

La Salamandra Dulce de Leche Milk Caramel, £3.99 for 454g, Marks & Spencer

Rich but not overly sweet, with a pleasantly bitter, toffee-like depth. The texture is thick and the colour is quite dark.

The winner

Le Petit Saunier Crème de Caramel au Beurre Salé, £3.99 for 220g, Marks & Spencer

Our testers were unanimous in naming this the winner. Dark and thick, it tastes homemade. It could do with a pinch more salt, though.

The runner-up

Artisan du Chocolat Liquid Sea Salted Caramel Sauce, £9.99 for 325g,

It’s runnier than some, and the rich burnt sugar flavour with undertones of salt means just a drizzle is enough to hit the spot.

Our panel are taste experts. We conduct our tests without packaging, so our tasters don’t know who produced each product or how much it costs. And to prevent one tester influencing another, the panel aren’t allowed to confer during the tests, so the results here are unbiased.

But for the best caramel flavour you can’t beat the homemade stuff in these sensational recipes