Salted Caramel Macarons
Bake up a batch of salted caramel macarons with this step by step guide. You'll learn how to make perfect macaron shells sandwiched in between a layer of buttercream and salted caramel.
Servings: 30 macarons
Calories: 144kcal
Equipment
- stand mixer with whisk attachment
- light colored baking sheet
- silicone mat or parchment paper
- pastry bag with ½ inch round tip
Ingredients
Macarons Shells
- 112 grams egg whites
- 140 grams super fine almond flour
- 140 grams confectioners' sugar
- 126 grams granulated sugar
- ½ teaspoon cream of tartar
- 5 - 10 drops tan or brown gel food coloring
Salted Caramel Filling
- ½ cup granulated sugar large impurities removed
- 2 tablespoons water
- ¼ cup heavy cream room temperature
- 6 tablespoons room temperature unsalted butter cut into 1 tablespoon (14 grams) pieces
- ¼ teaspoon vanilla extract
- ½ teaspoon fine sea salt
Buttercream Filling
- 9 tablespoons unsalted butter softened to room temperature
- 2 cups confectioners' sugar measured then sifted
- 1 ½ tablespoons heavy cream
- ½ teaspoon vanilla extract
- ⅛ teaspoon fine sea salt
Instructions
For Macaron Shells
- Separate egg whites from yolks.
- Measure dry ingredients using a kitchen scale. Double-sift the almond flour and confectioners' sugar together in a large mixing bowl.
- Wipe down the mixing bowl and whisk attachment with a little white vinegar on a paper towel to remove any leftover oils.
- Print off two macaron templates. Place them on a sheet pan underneath a piece of parchment paper.
- Prepare your piping bag with a ½ inch (1.27 cm) round tip. Push part of the side of the piping bag into the piping tip to ensure nothing leaks out. Set the bag inside a tall glass, and pull the remaining top of the piping bag out over the outside of the glass to make pouring the batter easy and clean.
- Find a small saucepan that your stand mixer bowl can sit on top of to create a double boiler (bain marie). Add water to the saucepan and bring to a boil.
- Add egg whites, granulated sugar, and cream of tartar to a stand mixer bowl. Whisk to roughly combine. Once the water is boiling, reduce the heat to medium-high. Place the stand mixer bowl on top of the water to create a double boiler (bain marie). Whisk the egg mixture, stirring constantly, until the mixture reaches 100°F (38°C) on an instant-read thermometer, about 30 seconds - 1 minute. Carefully remove the hot bowl from the heat and transfer it over to the stand mixer.
- Whip on medium-high speed until stiff peaks form. Add 5 - 10 drops of tan or brown gel food coloring once the egg whites reach soft peaks stage. Once you reach stiff peaks, you'll notice the meringue starts to ball up inside the whisk and is glossy. To test the meringue stiffness, pull the whisk out. A stiff peak should stand straight up (no curl at the tip). You'll also know it's ready because you can fully flip the bowl over and nothing moves or falls out. Make sure not to overbeat the meringue at this stage (this is when the egg whites look dull or curdled).
- Pour the sifted almond flour and confectioners' sugar into the meringue mixture and gently fold them together using a silicone spatula. Continue until all the meringue is fully incorporated and no dry bits of almond flour remain on the bottom of the bowl.
- Begin working the batter until everything is fully incorporated (this is called the macaronage process). Slowly spread the mixture along the side of the bowl, then wipe it back down. Be sure to do this gently. Repeat until the mixture has reached a smooth, shiny, flowing consistency. You can test this by lifting your spatula and seeing if the batter drops almost like lava. Once the batter drops back into the bowl, it should take about 10 - 15 seconds for the ribbon that formed to "disappear" back into the rest of the batter. Don't over macaronage the batter or the macarons will not properly bake in the oven.
- Pour the batter into the prepared piping bag. Hold the bag vertically, and gently pipe 1.5 inch (3.8 cm) circles. Once you have reached the desired size, release the pressure on the bag and twist your wrist without lifting up. Continue until no batter remains.
- Tap the sheet pan down the counter a few times to release any air bubbles. Pop the air bubbles with a toothpick. Allow the batter to sit on the counter and dry for 60+ minutes until a thin "skin" develops, and you can touch the tops without ruining the macaron. This resting time will vary depending on the humidity (they may take up to 90+ minutes to dry if you live in a humid or rainy environment). While the macarons are drying, heat oven to 300°F (150°C).
- Bake one sheet at a time on the center rack of the oven for 19 - 23 minutes. You can test that the macarons are done by gently touching the edge and the feet of the macarons. If the shell wiggles, is sticky, or wet, the macarons need to bake longer. Remove macarons from the oven and move the silicone mat or parchment paper to a cooling rack until completely cooled.
For Salted Caramel Filling
- Add sugar and water to a medium heavy bottom saucepan. Cover with a lid and let boil over medium heat until sugar is completely melted, about 2 - 4 minutes.
- Remove lid and continue cooking until the sugar begins to darken. Do not stir the caramel at this point. If it appears to be burning, you can gently swirl it in the pan. Once the sugar reaches an amber-colored liquid, about 4 - 6 minutes later, remove from heat.
- Stir in heavy cream (be careful, the cream will bubble and slightly splatter).
- Add butter one cube at a time, and stir until the caramel is smooth. Stir in vanilla extract and fine sea salt. Transfer the caramel to a bowl and allow to cool in the refrigerator for 1 - 3 hours until thickened.
For Buttercream Filling
- Beat butter in a stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment on medium-high speed until light and fluffy, about 2 - 3 minutes. Scrape down the sides of the mixer as needed.
- Add confectioners' sugar; mix on medium-low speed until combined.
- Add heavy cream, vanilla extract, and fine sea salt; mix until fully combined.
- Set the mixer to medium-high speed, and allow the buttercream to beat for an additional 5 minutes until light and fluffy.
- Match up macaron shells so they are paired with a similar size/shaped shell. Pipe a ring of buttercream around the outside of a macaron shell using a ½ inch (1.27 cm) round piping tip. Using a smaller piping tip, pipe salted caramel inside the ring of buttercream. Gently place the matching side on top of the filling.
- Place the macarons in an airtight container and mature with the filling in the refrigerator overnight. This will allow the macarons to slightly soften and develop a deeper flavor. The macarons will last for 5 - 7 days when stored in an airtight in the refrigerator.
Notes
Having trouble with your macarons? See the full troubleshooting guide above.
Whipping the meringue to stiff peaks (not over or under) is one of the most crucial steps when making macarons. Both under-whipped and over-whipped meringue can result in cracked shells. This is because the meringue needs to have the proper structure in order to rise in the oven.
In order to achieve stiff peaks, you need to learn the visual cues you can use to know that your meringue has whipped to stiff peaks:
- You'll notice the meringue starts to ball up inside the whisk while it's mixing.
- Pull the whisk out of the mixer. A stiff peak should stand straight up (no curl at the tip).
- You can fully flip the bowl over and nothing moves or falls out.
- The meringue feels sturdy (not flimsy).
Nutrition
Serving: 1macaron | Calories: 144kcal | Carbohydrates: 18g | Protein: 2g | Fat: 8g | Saturated Fat: 4g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 0.2g | Monounsaturated Fat: 1g | Trans Fat: 0.2g | Cholesterol: 15mg | Sodium: 56mg | Potassium: 19mg | Fiber: 0.5g | Sugar: 17g | Vitamin A: 176IU | Vitamin C: 0.01mg | Calcium: 13mg | Iron: 0.2mg
