I love salted caramel, I think it might actually be my favourite food. I’ve used it a LOT on Patisserie Makes Perfect, this is actually the third time I have featured a salted caramel macaron recipe here. I’ve made it into sweets, used it in my Stout and Salted Caramel Opera and baked it into tarts. I even have a Pinterest group-board dedicated to Salted Caramel.
I can’t promise that this will be the last time salted caramel will feature on the blog, but I do promise after this post, I won’t go on about these macarons anymore. That doesn’t mean I’ll stop making them, they taste fantastic. Sorry if I sound a little smug, but I think they look pretty good too.
I didn’t just want soft, pillowy macaron shells sandwiched with caramel this time, I wanted some crunch too. What better way to add crunch than to use praline and chocolate, turning them into Salted Caramel Praline Macarons.
I also thought that these special macarons deserved a special chocolate, one of my favourites Valrhona. These macarons have a tendency to be very sweet because of the combination of meringue and salted caramel. I decided that they’d benefit from 70% cocoa chocolate as a coating. The praline adds an extra layer of sweetness too, so this stronger chocolate was definitely a good choice.
Macarons are very popular and they don’t seem to be going out of fashion any time soon. The flavour possibilities are virtually endless and even savoury versions of this delicate treat are being created. There’s many a wedding where macarons have taken the limelight instead of the more traditional fruit cake. I can understand why.
I made these macarons slightly larger than usual, so they are more like the size of a biscuit than the usual smaller 3cm variety. It does mean the recipe makes less macarons, however you really need the larger size to make them easier to dip in the chocolate and praline. It’s also really important that you chill your macarons for around an hour (or 20 mins in the freezer – but no more) before dipping them, otherwise they slide apart and you’re left with a messy puddle of macaron – trust me, they’re still very edible though.
If like me, you’re a bit salted caramel obsessed you might want to take a look at this Salted Caramel Chocolate Cake, or there’s Salted Caramel Rice Krispie Treats for when you need a fix in a hurry. Or how about these Salted Caramel Brownies if you’re still left wanting more, try this Honeycomb Crunch Chocolate Cake.
Here’s the recipe to make what I think is the perfect Salted Caramel Macaron.
SALTED CARAMEL & PRALINE MACARONS
Ingredients
- For the Macaron Shells
- 200 g Ground Almonds
- 200 g Icing Sugar
- 50 ml Water
- 175 g Granulated Sugar
- 150 g Egg Whites about 3 eggs
- 1 batch Salted Caramel
- For the praline:
- 100 g any nuts of your choice almonds, hazelnuts, peanuts etc
- 150 g Sugar
- To decorate:
- 150 g 70% Dark Chocolate
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 170C Fan and line four baking trays with baking parchment. You can use a macaron template as a guide when piping out 5cm circles. These are freely available online.
- Add the water and sugar to a pan and stir over a medium heat until the sugar dissolves.
- Put half of the egg whites into a stand mixer and whisk them on a medium speed until frothy.
- Bring the syrup to a boil and heat until it reaches 118 degrees.
- Pour the syrup in a slow steady stream into the egg whites as they are being whipped on a high speed. Keep whipping until the meringue forms a stiff peak, about 5mins.
- Grind the ground almonds and icing sugar together in a food processor and then sift them into a clean bowl.
- Add the remaining egg whites to this mix and beat it, until it forms a paste.
- Add a third of the meringue to the almond paste and beat it in thoroughly.
- Fold through the remaining meringue, ensure the ingredients are mixed thoroughly.
- Put the macaron mix into a piping bag and pipe out 48 macarons.
- Tap the bottom of the tray to remove any bumps or air pockets, then put the macarons in the oven for 12-14 mins per tray. Turn the trays halfway through cooking to ensure an even bake.
- Let the cooked macarons cool completely before trying to remove them from the tray.
- To make the praline, line a baking tray with greaseproof paper. You will spread your praline out onto this.
- Heat the sugar in a pan until it turns liquid and golden. Stir in the nuts, working quickly to coat everything, pour the praline out onto the tray and allow it to set.
- When the praline has set, tip it into a food processor and blitz until the praline is crushed and resembles breadcrumbs.
- Then sandwich the macarons together with the salted caramel and place them in the fridge to chill and firm up, you want them quite cold for dipping in the chocolate, otherwise they will separate.
- Melt the chocolate and then let it cool to around 30C, place the praline in a separate bowl. Take the macarons, dip half of them in the melted chocolate and then coat the melted chocolate with praline, place them on some baking paper to set.
- Macarons are usually best left in the fridge for a few hours before eating, so that the shells can soften up.
Thanks for reading.
Angela
Dana DiPasquale
Where’s the salted Caramel recipe???? Your link doesn’t work!
patisseriemakesperfect
Hi Dana,
Sorry about that – this is an old recipe and the recipe plugin I used to use is no longer supported. I have updated the link so that it goes to the correct URL.
Thanks for taking the time to let me know.
Angela
FRANCESCA LEFEBVRE
I can’t wait to try. I am hosting a baby shower and I would like to make these beauties. Can I make them in advance and freeze then thaw prior to dipping in chocolate and praline crumbs?
patisseriemakesperfect
Hi – I’m so sorry for the delay, this went into my spam queue. The shells freeze really well, but I don’t advise filling them and freezing them. As they might be soft when they defrost.
The praline can be made in advance and would keep quite well if stored in an airtight container and then added to the chocolate.
Hope that all helps.
Meredith
I don’t normally comment on these types of things but I do like this flavour combination and will use it but there are a couple of technical issues I found in the recipe and if people are using it then their macarons won’t turn out if these are left out.
1. Is stiring the sugar when making the syrup. That will candify the sugar and water so never stir it
2. Mixing the meringue into the almond meal is important and it needs to be done until it’s in the ‘rib on stage’. Ie: when the mix falls off the spoon in a ribbon
3. This important step was missed. You need to dry the macarons for 1/2 hour to an hour before you put them in the oven or they won’t get their ‘feet’.
Other than that I’m excited to try this for mothers day
patisseriemakesperfect
Hi Meredith,
Thanks for your comment, I understand that you are not normally supposed to stir sugar when making caramel, but I don’t know if it is my pans, but I quite often get hot spots in my caramel and so I have had burning before. I have stirred caramel and never found crystallisation to be a problem, especially when making a sugar syrup like this for meringue.
With regards to point number two, I just mix the macarons until the texture is the one I need, however now you mention it, it is like ribbon stage, so I will remember that in future.
Lastly, I did not miss out the stage where you rest the macarons for 30 minutes, I just don’t do it.
I have tried this before and I find with Italian meringue macarons it really doesn’t give any benefit or affect the feet on the macarons. Obviously if this is something you want to do, feel free, but I don’t think it’s necessary.
I hope you enjoy the recipe and have great success with it.
Thanks
Angela
Jodie Dodd
Every single recipe you post could feature salted caramel and I would not complain! Now that Fall is here caramel is all over the grocery store. Will be picking up a bag of cubes just to pop in my mouth. Your macarons look fantastic, as usual. 🙂 xx
PatisserieMakesPerfect
Thank you Jodie. I love caramel too, I could eat it with nearly everything. You really only have it in the autumn? It’s all year round here, but good caramel is hard to find. x
Jodie Dodd
Caramel is available all year round here too, it’s just more prominently displayed during the fall. Caramel apples are a popular Halloween party treat. Good thing you can make your own!
Jennifer Stewart
Please hold me down and jam about 100 of these in my mouth! YUM!
PatisserieMakesPerfect
They are so good Jennifer! I had a bit of a binge on these too.
Helen Costello
Oh good heavens – they look divine. I had some salted caramel macarons at a wedding last week and they were lush. Didn’t look a patch on yours though! x
PatisserieMakesPerfect
Thank you so much Helen. Salted Caramel Macarons are probably my favourite, that explains why I’ve made them 3 times alone on the blog already.
I’m very flattered you think mine look better than the ones at the wedding (I won’t tell the bride), that means a lot 🙂 x
Cakeyboi
Absolutely gorgeous! Thanks for adding these to Treat Petite
PatisserieMakesPerfect
Thanks very much for hosting Treat Petite and for stopping by.
Dannielle from @ Zamamabakes
I loooooove salted caramel in baking, who am I kidding I love it full stop and these macarons look amazing!
Gorgeous work x
PatisserieMakesPerfect
Thanks Dannielle, I love it too! I’m so pleased you like these macarons, they taste fantastic. x
Lauren @ Create Bake Make
I think you should keep on making as many salted caramel recipes as you like – I’m not going to complain when they look this good!! Thanks for linking up with us for Fabulous Foodie Fridays, I hope you have a great weekend 🙂
PatisserieMakesPerfect
Thank you Lauren and thank you for hosting Fabulous Foodie Fridays! I hope you had a great weekend too. I’m so flattered you think these look good!
Amy_Thoroughly Nourished Life
Angela! These are absolutely gorgeous! I have been drooling every time I see someone pin/post a photo of these this week! Everything about them is just perfect. I cannot wait to make these with my Mum and sister, who are both massive salted caramel fans! And that praline crunch – perfection!
PatisserieMakesPerfect
Thank you so much Amy! I’m delighted to know these have been getting pinned and that they are having the desired effect. Let me know how making them goes, they are so delicious, it’s hard to wait for them to be assembled before eating them!
Sarah
Love salted caramel! I swear I could taste these as I was looking at the photos. Hehe. Just have to be made. 🙂
PatisserieMakesPerfect
I love it too Sarah – too much sometimes! I’m glad the photos look that edible. x
Lucy - BakingQueen74
These look so impressive, I too suffer from the fear of failing that Julia mentioned, with macarons. Having seen your beautiful salted caramel ones though I am going to have to try to make some now. Will read and re-read for tips! Beautiful photos too 🙂 Thank you for linking up with #PerfectingPatisserie!
PatisserieMakesPerfect
You have to try making macarons Lucy. Even if you don’t bother with the praline, the salted caramel macaron is simply divine. Perhaps you could have a macaron themed #PerfectingPatisserie and then you’d have to make them. x
Swah
Oh wow these look incredible! Salted caramel is my favourite too, I almost want to lick the screen. Love the photos too xx
PatisserieMakesPerfect
Thank you. I love your blog too! It’s great. I’m so pleased you like the photos, these are truly delicious macarons – you have permission to lick the screen. x
Claudia Brick
I am so with you on loving salted caramel – so don’t worry about posting more recipes involving it! These macarons look insanely gorgeous – love the oozing caramel and the half-dipped chocolate praline look. I have only made macarons once quite a few years ago now, but I think you have inspired me to try making them again! X
PatisserieMakesPerfect
Oh Claudia – my love for salted caramel is almost unhealthy! You have to try making them again, they’re so delicious. I’m so pleased you love the look of these, I had as much fun photographing these as I did making and eating them! x
Hannah Hossack-Lodge
I am so jealous of you right now! Your macarons are sheer perfection, and you can’t go wrong with salted caramel, chocolate and praline 🙂 x
PatisserieMakesPerfect
It is the perfect flavour combination Hannah. I don’t think I will ever make macarons again, unless they’re this flavour 🙂 Thanks for the lovely compliment Hannah. x
Beeta @ Mon Petit Four
You can make all the salted caramel you want, Angela! Especially when they’re in the form of gorgeous macarons like this! These truly do look gorgeous…I love the way you half-dipped them in the chocolate. Valrhona is my favorite! The crunch is also such a smart idea. These would make a stunning gift, but then again, they’d probably never make it out my door! 😉
PatisserieMakesPerfect
I love salted caramel so much Beeta – I saw completely dipped macarons and I thought they looked a bit sad. So I half-dipped them as I love how macarons look, I’m sure they would make a great gift, but you’re right I ate most of them – I shared a couple. x
PatisserieMakesPerfect
Thanks Louise. I ate a LOT of these, they were so nice. I really struggled to give them away!
Joy @ Baking-Joy
These look amazing! I love making macarons, but haven’t tried salted caramel before…these are on the list!
PatisserieMakesPerfect
Thanks so much Joy! Salted caramel is the best flavour of macarons IMO. x
kushi
oh my!One of the best that I have seen so far! Wish I could grab some right now. yummilicious 🙂
PatisserieMakesPerfect
Thank you so much Kushi! I am thrilled that you like them. I’m glad the pictures do them justice. 🙂
PatisserieMakesPerfect
I agree Cate… I ate so many of them!
Sian @ Cakey Dreamer
I haven’t tried making macarons yet, but this recipe might have convince me to give them a go! I love salted caramel, and you are right (and you don’t sound at all smug- although you have every right to), they do look fantastic!
PatisserieMakesPerfect
Thank you Sian! They’re really not too difficult, but there’s just a few things you should always do when making them. I used Italian Meringue to make mine, I always use a template for piping them and tap the tray before baking to remove any air bubbles. You should definitely try them!
Lucy Parissi
As you know I am a sucker for both macarons and salted caramel so these are pretty much my dream treat. They look so professional too – can’t wait until the shop opens Angela!
PatisserieMakesPerfect
When the shop opens you can design my menus etc 🙂 oh and be chief taster. So pleased you like how they look! x
Lucy Parissi
My design skills are at your disposal!
PatisserieMakesPerfect
Excellent!
Manisha Bhadana
Yummy
PatisserieMakesPerfect
They are so yummy!
Julia Frey@Vikalinka
Oh Angela, these look absolutely stunning. I have never made macarons myself, I don’t like the idea of failing but seeing these beauties I think I need to try as I love eating them SO MUCH!! Pinned!
PatisserieMakesPerfect
You should try them Julia, you’d ace them! I love eating them too, they are the perfect mix of soft and crunch and sweet etc. So glad you like these!