Salted Caramel Macarons

How to make salted caramel macarons with a thick caramel filling between French macaron shells.

My macaron recipe and top tips are taken from my 2nd book, Teatime in Paris: A Walk Through Easy French Pâtisserie Recipes (2015). With thanks to my publishers, Waverley Books, for granting permission to finally publish on the website (2023).

What is the Best Macaron Flavour?

Why is it that salt added to caramel is so agonisingly addictive?

As a result, the salted caramel macaron is one of the most popular macaron flavours in Paris - confirmed by the Parisian pâtisseries in my Top 20 Best Macarons in Paris.

The taste of these macarons are more like the ones we find in Paris patisseries. Although sugar is needed to make salted caramel, I did my best to reduce the sugar as much as I dare in the filling - but enough to make it all work and thicken together.

Where Did Salted Caramel Come From?

Salted caramel is surprisingly recent: caramel au beurre salé, or salted butter caramel, was invented in the 1970s by Henri Le Roux in Quiberon, where salted butter is added to most specialities in Brittany.

Can I make this Salted Caramel Macaron Filling Without Salt?

Salt isn't necessary for caramel macarons - but it's so good! Without salt added to the filling, it's easier to add other flavours to the caramel such as orange, lemon or lime (add zest), coffee or vanilla, for example.
Even jasmine tea goes well too in these caramel macarons - how this recipe on the website started out before I was permitted to publish my original recipe!

However, the most intriguing and classic taste with caramel is with the salt.

What to Avoid When Making Macarons

Recent recipes on the internet have the exact tips and troubleshooting advice I already gave in both my books since 2010! So, for many more details and macaron recipes, you'll find them all there.

In the meantime, here are some of my top mistakes to avoid when making macarons:

• Making macarons using approximate cups in volume. We're not making chocolate chip hazelnut cookies where it doesn't matter as much. Like the French, we use precise measures in grams so please follow these instructions to the letter and measure your ingredients exactly. The result will be consistent, successful results.
• Following a few macaron recipes at the same time. This is not just confusing but not all recipes are the same. This one uses French meringue so stick to it and it will be easier.
• Multi-tasking while making them. Keep your mind on what you're doing. It's not rocket science but you do need to concentrate - and have fun making them!
• Using liquid food colourings. The liquid will affect the meringue so I recommend powdered colourings - plus less is needed. Gels are also good but their quality is varied so if you can, stick to powder.
• Using ingredients out of date or not great quality.This even happened to me recently making these shells below with old almond flour and ended up with slightly bitter shells that didn't rise as much. I'm embarrassed enough to even show you them!
• Being impatient. You really do need to let the shells air before baking and if you eat the finished version straight away, you'll be disappointed. Fresh macarons (particularly chocolate and salted caramel) need to be given 1-2 days before eaten to enjoy them at their best.

Top Tips How to Make French Macarons

• Use the finest almond flour or ground almonds you can find.
• Sift the powdered sugar and almond flour well using a medium sieve. Discard any bigger almond bits - save for making other cookies.
• Age organic egg whites for 2-3 days in a jar in the fridge, covered with pierced cling film.
• Whip the egg whites well. Follow my recipe instructions to the letter. Many people prefer using Italian meringue with a sugar thermometer, but I prefer French meringue as it's easier. Just don't be afraid to whip to firm, glossy peaks.

• Use a good large and flexible spatula. This is your macaron friend - as well as me!

Your oven can be the biggest culprit for cracks, hollows and uneven baking of macarons. Is your oven doing what it's saying it is? Use an oven thermometer and, if necessary, adjust the temperature.

page 150, Teatime in Paris (2015) by Jill Colonna

Thick Caramel Filling for Macarons

The method for making the salted caramel is much the same in my recipe for the first stage of a French Crème Caramel.  I even have the method explained and demonstrated here on video for making caramel.

However, if you're worried about making caramel, no worries. Just follow this easier scientific approach in this recipe for salted caramel sauce, inspired by food scientist friend, Raphaël Haumont. It works a dream!

First and foremost, measure your ingredients exactly with a digital kitchen scale. This makes the difference between a runny caramel that's difficult to work with and a thicker, creamy caramel that works easily to pipe out as a filling for your macarons.

Caramel sauce only requires 3 basic ingredients: sugar, butter, cream. For salted caramel, we add the salt or use salted butter.

For making salted caramel as a thick macaron filling, however, I add gelatine and mascarpone to thicken the sauce.

Step-by-Step Recipe for Salted Caramel Macarons Filling

First make the caramel by dissolving the sugar over a medium to high heat in a saucepan. Leave the caramel alone without stirring it.

It will turn into a caramel within a few minutes so keep your eye on it. Just shake the pan to dissolve all of the sugar into the caramel.

Turn down the heat then add the butter and the warmed cream. Stir constantly together until the caramel becomes beautifully smooth.

Take off the heat and add the gelatine, squeezed of excess water and stir into the caramel.

Leave on the counter to cool for about 15 minutes then add the salt (fleur de sel) and mascarpone.

Don't forget to taste your filling by adding just a little salt at first and add more as necessary.  There's nothing worse than too much salt and ruining the flavour of the whole batch in one go!

Jill

Stir or whisk together using a hand whisk then chill in the fridge for at least 30 minutes.

30 minutes later, the filling is thick enough to work with.
(Try not to taste too much of the filling and keep enough for the macarons!)

Transfer to a piping bag and squeeze out on to each macaron shell pair.

normally the left hand supports the bottom of the piping bag - I just needed my hand to take the photo!

Sandwich each pair of macarons together with the filling. As soon as they're filled, quickly transfer to a pastry box or biscuit tin (especially if the kitchen is hot during summer). Chill in the fridge for 24 hours.

How Long Can My Macarons Keep?

Don't forget that once the macarons are filled to store them in a box and keep in the fridge for at least 24 hours before eating. Otherwise the macarons will be too dry.

By waiting at least a day, this gives the filling time to permeate into the shells, making them typically delicious macarons with a fondant inside and slightly crispy exterior.

Your macarons can keep in the fridge for about 5 days or can be frozen for up to 2 months.

This post was first published 9 November 2015 as a caramel filling with jasmine tea but is now completely updated (2023) with the full salted caramel macaron recipe from my book, Teatime in Paris (2015), with thanks to Waverley Books for permission to finally publish. Don't forget also my first book, Mad About Macarons! (2010) which was the first macaron recipe book published in the UK.
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