Salted caramel macarons

 

    Prep time: 20min Cooking: 15min Baking: 20-40min 

    Yield: 60 finished macarons

     

    Steps

    Ingredients

    Salted caramel filling


    1. Dry caramelise the sugar in 3-4 stages until all of the sugar is fully incorporated. Bring sugar to an amber colour. 
    2. Meanwhile bring cream to a simmer. 
    3. Remove caramel mixture from the heat and Deglaze the caramel with the heated cream in 3 stages. Add vanilla bean paste. Return to the heat and Cook to 115ºc. 
    4. Add in the butter gradually and salt and using a stick blender, blend until smooth. 
    5. Pour mixture into a rectangular dish and freeze for 30-45 minutes or until firm to the touch and is a pipeable consistency 
    6. Transfer mixture into a piping bag.

    Tan macaron shell


    1. Preheat oven to 150ºc Fan force for domestic ovens or 130ºc, Fan speed 1, 50% extraction for commercial ovens (Unox bakers top). 
    2. Combine vanilla tant pour tant, egg whites (A) and gel food colouring in a medium to large bowl. Using a spatula mix until a paste forms. Do not overmix. Set aside.
    3. Combine the caster sugar and water into a saucepan. Mix once and place over medium to low heat. Cook the sugar mixture until it reaches 118ºc, do not stir.
    4. Meanwhile pour the egg whites into a stand mixer bowl fitted with a whisk attachment.
    5. Once the sugar syrup has come to 118ºc, remove from the heat and allow the bubbles to subside. Meanwhile beat the egg whites on high until frothy and turns white, do not overmix.
    6. Decrease the speed to medium and gradually stream in the sugar syrup mixture. Once all the sugar syrup is poured, beat on high until it triples in volume and produces a thick marshmallow like texture meringue. 
    7. Fold in 1/3 of the meringue mixture into the almond paste, mixing well until combined.
    8. Fold in the next 1/3 and fold until combined. Repeat with the remaining meringue and fold until the mixture drops like lava when lifted using a spatula. 
    9. Transfer mix into a piping bag and pipe 4cm rounds onto prepared baking paper. Making sure to pipe 1.5cm-2cm apart. 
    10. Reduce the oven temperature to 130ºc and transfer trays into the oven. Bake for 15-20 minutes or until firm to the touch. 
    11. Allow to cool down before peeling off the paper. 

     

    Assembling the macaron

    1. Assemble the baked and cooled macaron shells onto a bench top with one top facing upwards and another below facing with the flat side up. 
    2. Pipe a dollop of the salted caramel on top of the flat macaron shell. Sandwich with the other half of the shell and gently press together. Repeat to all the macarons and refrigerate the macarons overnight for the best results.
    3. Macarons can be frozen after assembly for up to 1-2 months in an airtight container.

    Salted caramel filling

    225g caster sugar
    225g double cream
    190g butter
    5g vanilla bean paste
    3g sea salt flakes

    Tan macaron shell

    600g Vanilla Tant pour tant (recipe in basic macaron vanilla shell)
    110g egg whites (A)
    300g caster sugar
    75g water
    110g egg whites (B)
    8g yellow Food gel Colouring
    1g brown food gel colouring