Salted Caramel Macarons

Salted caramel macarons are the perfect dessert and snack!

You are in for a treat with these salted caramel macarons. The light, airy macaron shells are colored naturally with purple sweet potato powder and filled with sweet and slightly salty buttercream, made with store-bought salted caramel sauce. Macarons are quite sweet so the hint of saltiness helps offset the sweetness. Enjoy this dessert with coffee or tea or even gift them to friends or family! They will definitely appreciate the generosity.

As you may know, macarons are very particular desserts and many people, just like me, fail several times before making successful macarons. The most common problems are cracked and collapsed shells, stiff meringue-like shells, and lack of macaron “feet”. Through my years of macaron making, I have finally “mastered” the art of macaron making and can usually tell whether they’ll be successful or not. I’ve found that different people find that different things work for them. I will include important tips on what has worked well for me. I will also include baking tools I use to help with my macaron-making.

Macaron-making tips:

• Measure the ingredients in weight for accuracy. I recommend investing in a food scale; it is so worth it!
• Use parchment paper instead of a baking mat to help with the “feet” formation. I drew 4 cm. circles on my parchment paper as a template.
• My macarons turn out better when I use a stand mixer rather than a hand mixer to make the meringue. Both should work equally well, but I have found the stand mixer whips meringue slightly better.
• The macaron batter should be a ribbon-like consistency. If the batter does not fall easily off the spatula, I push the batter against the side of the bowl to remove air bubbles until the batter is less stiff.
• Use a large sturdy, piping bag (12 inch bags) with an appropriately-sized piping tip (such as the Ateco 806 tip)
• Once the macaron shells are out of the oven, wait at least 20 min before removing the shells from the parchment paper to prevent cracking.
• Make sure your oven is preheated completely
• Bake the macarons in the middle rack to prevent browned bottoms

FAQ’s:

How can I store macarons?

The macarons can be stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 1 week. You may also freeze them for up to 1 month. To enjoy the macarons, let the macaron sit at room temperature for 10 min, to allow the buttercream to soften slightly.

I have a nut allergy, can I use something else instead of almond flour?

Classic macarons are made with almond flour. However, you can “macarons” with all-purpose flour that tastes very similar to macarons! You can try the nut-free macaron recipe I posted earlier and make the coffee version of them.

Is there a specific condition I should be drying the macaron shells under?

During the 30 minute resting period, dry the macaron shells in a cool and dry area. Unfortunately, you may encounter issues if you live in a humid area. The shells will not dry properly and you may not get macaron “feet”.

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Salted Caramel Macarons

total time: 1 hr. 30 min.

yield: 20 macarons (4 cm.)

Ingredients:

For macarons:

• 100 g. or 1 c. minus 1 tbsp. almond flour
• 100 g. or 1 c. minus 2 1/2 tbsp. powdered sugar
• 80 g. or 1/2 c. minus 1 1/2 tbsp. granulated sugar
• 80 g. or 2 1/2 large egg whites
• 2 g. or 1/2 tsp. cream of tartar
• 6 g. or 2 tsp. purple sweet potato powder

For salted caramel buttercream:

• 100 g. or 7 tbsp. unsalted butter, softened
• 110 g. or 1 c. minus 1 tbsp. powdered sugar
• 42 g. or 3 tbsp. salted caramel sauce

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 300 F.
2. Sift almond flour, powder sugar, and sweet potato powder together in a medium bowl.
3. Using a stand or hand mixer, whisk egg whites on high speed and add granulated sugar in 3 batches until medium-stiff peaks form.
4. Add the almond flour, powder sugar, and sweet potato powder in 3 batches and carefully fold the mix. If the batter is not at a ribbon consistency, push the batter against the bowl to push out air.
5. Pipe the macarons (40 circles at 4 cm.) on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper and tap the tray 3 times to remove bubbles. Rest the macarons for 30 min to dry out the shells. Bake at 300 F for 15 min. Once baked, remove the tray from the oven and allow the shells to cool for at least 20 min. Once cooled, remove the shells from the parchment paper.
6. To make the buttercream, cream butter on high speed with a hand mixer or stand mixer with the paddle attachment and add powdered sugar in 3 batches. Add in the salted caramel sauce and cream until smooth.
7. Pipe the cream in the macarons and enjoy! Note: you may have leftover buttercream.

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