Description
Salted Caramel Macarons are delicate French almond meringue cookies filled with creamy white chocolate caramel ganache and a luscious salted caramel center. These elegant treats feature crisp shells with a smooth, melt-in-your-mouth texture paired with a rich, buttery caramel flavor enhanced by a touch of sea salt—perfect for special occasions or indulgent everyday moments.
Ingredients
Scale
Macaron Shells
- 100 g (1 cup) Almond flour – finely ground
- 100 g (1 cup) Powdered sugar
- 2 × 38 g (about ¼ cup each) Egg whites – at room temperature
- 100 g (½ cup) Granulated sugar
- 25 ml (2 tbsp) Water
- Food coloring (optional)
Salted Caramel
- 50 g (¼ cup) Granulated sugar
- 20 g (1 tbsp + 1 tsp) Butter – salted or unsalted
- 40 g (about 3 tbsp) Heavy cream – at room temperature
- 1 pinch Sea salt / fleur de sel
White Chocolate Caramel Ganache Filling
- 100 g (½ cup / 3.5 oz) White chocolate chips – chopped if needed
- 120 ml (½ cup) Heavy cream – full fat
- 50 g (¼ cup) Homemade salted caramel (from above)
- 1 tsp Vanilla extract
- Extra salted caramel – for the center filling
Instructions
- Make the Salted Caramel: Heat 50 g granulated sugar in a saucepan over medium heat until fully melted and amber in color, being careful not to burn it. Add 20 g butter and stir until smooth. Pour in 40 g heavy cream in 2 to 3 additions while stirring continuously. Cook for 3–4 minutes until the caramel thickens. Add a pinch of sea salt and mix well. For an ultra-smooth texture, blend with a hand blender if needed. Transfer to a jar and chill until set.
- Prepare Dry Ingredients: Sift together 100 g almond flour and 100 g powdered sugar into a large bowl to ensure a smooth macaron shell batter.
- Make Almond Paste: Add half (38 g) of the egg whites and optional food coloring to the dry ingredients and mix until a thick paste forms.
- Cook Sugar Syrup: Combine 100 g granulated sugar and 25 ml water in a saucepan and cook over medium heat until the syrup reaches 118°C (244°F) using a candy thermometer.
- Whip Meringue: When the syrup reaches 110°C (230°F), start whipping the other half (38 g) of the egg whites on high speed until frothy. Slowly pour the hot syrup in a thin stream into the whipping egg whites while continuing to beat. Whip for 8–10 minutes until stiff, glossy peaks form.
- Combine Batter: Loosen the almond paste with a small amount of the meringue. Then gently fold in the remaining meringue using a spatula until the batter flows slowly in a ribbon.
- Pipe Shells: Preheat the oven to 155°C (311°F). Transfer the batter to a piping bag fitted with a round tip and pipe evenly sized circles onto silicone mats or parchment paper lined with a template. Tap the tray firmly to release any air bubbles.
- Bake Shells: Bake one tray at a time for 12–14 minutes until the shells have formed firm feet and can be lifted gently. Remove from oven and cool completely before peeling.
- Prepare Ganache Filling: Place white chocolate, vanilla extract, and 50 g of the homemade salted caramel in a bowl. Bring 120 ml heavy cream to a boil and pour it over the chocolate mixture. Let sit for a minute, then whisk until smooth. Cover and refrigerate for 3 hours until set.
- Whip Ganache: Remove the ganache from the refrigerator and whip for 1–2 minutes until creamy and spreadable.
- Assemble Macarons: Pipe a dollop of ganache on half of the cooled shells. Add a small spoonful of extra salted caramel in the center, then sandwich with the remaining shells.
- Chill and Serve: Chill the assembled macarons for 1 hour to allow the flavors to meld before serving.
Notes
- Ensure egg whites are at room temperature for better volume when whipping meringue.
- Be careful not to overmix the batter during folding; the batter should flow like lava but not be too runny.
- Use a candy thermometer for accurate sugar syrup temperature to achieve the perfect meringue.
- Macaron shells are best stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.
- Allow macarons to mature in the fridge for several hours to develop the full flavor and texture.
- To soften the salted caramel, warm it slightly if stored refrigerated before using in ganache or as filling.
- Prep Time: 45 minutes
- Cook Time: 15 minutes
- Category: Dessert
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: French
Keywords: salted caramel macarons, french macarons, caramel macarons, white chocolate ganache, delicate dessert, almond meringue cookies
