Bring cream almost to a boil, but not fully, remove from heat and add tea leaves, cover and steep 10 minutes.
Strain into a measuring cup or bowl with a spout from which you can pour slowly. Add 1/4 tsp vanilla and stir to combine. Set aside.
Melt 2 cups of sugar over med (between 4/5 on my ceramic cook top), stirring occasionally (ever 5-8 min or so) until melted. Do not stir vigorously, merely push the sugar around to make sure it all melting. Once it begins to melt steadily, I reduce the heat turn heat down to med-low (4). The sugar will look quickly look a dark caramel color as it melts. Don’t let this make you nervous. It isn’t burning.
Note: Use your sense of smell, if it start to smell like it’s on the verge of burning but there are still a few lumps, go ahead and add the butter. You will strain it later. I have never found this necessary, and I would advice against adding the butter before all the sugar has melted unless it seems absolutely necessary to prevent burning.
Once all the sugar has melted, add butter 1 T at a time, stirring constantly until all melted. The butter will bubble enthusiastically when added. Be careful. Once all the butter is fully incorporated remove from heat and stir in the salt. Slowly, very slowly, pour in the cream, stirring constantly until smooth. This will bubble even more enthusiastically. Stir away.
Return to head and bring to a boil for about 2-3 minutes. I use a candy thermometer and let it reach about 230 degrees F. I have done it in the past without one and had no problems. Just let it boil for a bit to smooth out and then strain it through a fine mesh strainer into a heat proof bowl to cool. Resist urge to stick you finger in. You’ll burn the hell out of yourself. I would know.
Also amazing swirled in ice cream or dissolved in an ice cream base to taste for caramel ice cream, used as a sauce on dessert, or pretty much anything else you can imagine that caramel would be good in or on! The resultant sauce is thick at room temp, firm when chilled, and liquid if heated for a few seconds.
