Salted Caramel Macarons (Lovely & Moist )

If you want a dessert that will make an impression then salted caramel macarons are for you. 

The other bonus this dessert offers is that it is relatively easy to make. 

The return on your effort is definitely worth the fiddliness of these lovely morsels. 

When made well they come across as these soft, yet crunchy, sweet, yet salty bits of heaven.

What is a Macaron?

A macaron is a two sided meringue dessert with a filling sandwiched in the middle. 

Think of it as a light as air, delicate, crunchy, chewy, gooey, sweet mouthful of goodness. 

It is made using almond meal flour, with egg whites and sugar. 

Sometimes the meringue is flavored or colored with food coloring. 

The fillings are endless, almost anything you can imagine is possible. 

Macaron Flavors

Where to start? 

The flavors seem to be endless when it comes to these delectable delights. 

Chocolate with a chocolate ganache filling, lemon with a lemon vanilla filling.

Strawberry with a cream cheese filling, lavender coconut, chocolate caramel, coffee and Baileys cream, mint, chocolate hazelnut. 

Vanilla, white chocolate and lavender, candy corn, blueberry cream cheese, apricot. 

Mango and white chocolate, pistachio, green tea chocolate peanut butter, salted caramel. 

Peppermint, chocolate truffle, pumpkin spice, and gingerbread, just to name a few! 

The flavors are limited only to your imagination.

One of my favorites are these salted caramel macarons, just pure and simple.

How To Make Salted Caramel Macarons

This macaron recipe and method is a favorite of mine.

Macarons are pretty simple to make but you need to be exacting in order to get them right.

This means that following the recipe to the letter will be important. 

Make sure you have all your ingredients together at room temperature before you begin. 

For The Shells

You will need egg whites that are at room temperature. 

Make sure no yolk gets into the white as this will keep them from whipping properly. 

Sift the almond meal with the powdered sugar in order that they integrate well making the grains as fine as possible.

That way the macarons will have their trademark smooth top and bottom. 

It is best to sift two, or even three times for best results. 

In a stand mixer, using the whisk attachment, whisk the egg whites at high speed until they begin to foam up. 

At this point, add the cream of tartar. 

Cream of tartar is technically an acid, a residue collected from wine barrels and used in baking. 

Usually cream of tartar is used in combination with baking soda for leavening purposes. 

The two together are what make up baking powder. 

But in this case the cream of tartar is used to help stiffen the egg whites by increasing the volume.

This ingredient will also help keep them white. 

Once the whites start to resemble shaving foam add granulated sugar, keep whisking until stiff peaks form. 

In three additions, fold in the almond meal mixture. 

As each addition is incorporated, add the next bit, keeping as much air in the mixture as possible. 

Transfer to a pastry bag and pipe rounds of macaron batter onto a baking sheet covered in parchment paper. 

Keep the size at about an inch in diameter, doing the best you can to make them all as close in size as possible.

Let the tray sit for at least 30 minutes so that the edges of the macaron halves can develop their characteristic air bubbles.

Once they have rested for 30 minutes, bake the macarons for 16 to 18 minutes.

Remove from the oven, set aside and allow the macarons to cool completely. 

Make the filling while the macarons are cooling.

For The Filling

Melt the sugar in a saucepan while stirring until you have a sugar syrup.

Heat heavy cream to just before boiling point.

Add to the melted sugar, along with sea salt, then remove from heat, and add butter.

Stir until thick and all ingredients are incorporated, then allow to cool.

Once the macaron shells are cool, and using a pastry bag, pipe the filling onto half the rounds, then top with another macaron shell.

Best fresh, these macarons can be kept refrigerated for up to five days.

What Makes The Perfect Meringue?

Light and airy, crispy on the outside and chewy on the inside are the characteristics of a good meringue.

Follow these tips for the best results:

• For starters, all your bowls and utensils need to be squeaky clean, with no traces of oil. 
• Even a speck of oil can keep your egg whites from achieving their full potential, and meringues are all about the whites.
• Make sure some acid is introduced, in this case cream of tartar, to ensure your meringue is crisp on the outside and chewy on the inside.  
• Don’t cook them too hot, good temperature control is a must to end up with a successful outcome.

Macaron Ingredients

The most common ingredients in a macaron will be the egg whites,  at room temperature.

You want the almond meal to be fine and as smooth as possible.

This is a delicate dessert and you want to help it stay that way with fine almond flour.

Cream of tartar, powdered sugar, granulated sugar and perhaps food coloring will round out typical ingredients.

People have tried caster sugar instead of granulated sugar in the egg whites, and in some cases have tried powdered sugar instead of granulated.

Caster sugar can be a good substitute, and even brown sugar gives an interesting look, and flavor.

Powdered sugar whisked with egg whites tends to make the meringue overly sweet and a bit one dimensional. 

Of course when it comes to the fillings there are so many different ways to go. 

I would recommend that you have flavors that are compatible, and maybe some that are counter intuitive.

I would also suggest playing with textures when it comes to filling, like cookiecrumbs, or maybe chopped fruit pieces.

Another thing to consider is perhaps to dip half the macaron in frosting or ganache, or some other sweet dip.

Or dip and cover them in melted chocolate for an even more decadent experience.

History Of The Macaron

Introduced to France from Italy during the Renaissance by the chef to Catherine de Medici, an Italian noblewoman and queen consort of France. 

The predecessor to what we know as the macaron today was first made in Venetian monasteries. 

They were made from a sugar mixture, almonds and egg whites and referred to as priest’s belly buttons.

Not quite as appetizing sounding as macarons which were made with an almond flour mixture and lots of fillings.

Maccherone is the Italian word for fine dough and a good description of a macaron which is the French word for this superb meringue dessert. 

This is definitely a case of, invented in Italy and perfected in France. 

They say French macarons are the best, yet I have to admit that I have never met a macaron I did not like. 

Especially with a salted caramel filling!

There was a time in my life when I worked as a professional pastry chef. 

Being a pastry chef can be a very exacting, and rewarding job, one that comes with the ability to put a smile on people’s faces. 

Dessert is the last thing people have with their meal, so if it’s good, it is the lasting impression of the meal. 

Making friends is also a lot easier when you have some good desserts up your sleeve; most people love sweets. 

I used to have to make 5 or 6 different desserts a day.

There was always that point in the day when I had several different recipes going at once, none ready, all pending. 

That was the point when I’d always have a feeling of dread, the feeling that nothing would get done. 

And then, like an air traffic controller I’d land each and every dessert one after the other.

Getting the rush of satisfaction that comes with being able to make so many desserts at once.

What To Drink With Salted Caramel Macarons

What do you like drinking? 

Macarons go with anything as far as I’m concerned.

Traditionally coffee is what you would serve with macarons.

Tea also works well, black, green or herbal depending on the flavors of the macarons.

If you want to be decadent then don’t shy away from serving your dessert with a glass of champagne.  

How To Best Store Salted Caramel Macarons

Your macarons will keep from 3 to 5 days in the fridge in an airtight container. 

Once removed from the fridge allow the macarons to warm up for at least thirty minutes for best flavor.

The best news is that macarons rarely last long enough to worry about storage!