Salted Caramel & Guava French Macarons

Valentine's Day is tomorrow, but there is still time before you have to resort to drugstore stuffed animals or overpriced candy! French Macarons may seem intimidating to make, but with a little effort, they can make a great homemade gift.

Before you get started, take note of these tips. Macarons are very finnicky, so be sure to give your cookies the best chance possible!

TIP #1 - EGGS: Use room temperature egg whites. Want to bring refrigerated eggs to room temperature fast? Put them in a bowl of warm water, and they will come to temperature in a few minutes. Also, be meticulous when separating the whites from the yolks. Any trace of yolk can prevent your meringue from forming correctly.

TIP #2 - SIFTING: Always sift your dry ingredients. Almond flour will most likely have large chunks that can make the tops of your macarons look rough and pebbly. After sifting, you can take all the larger pieces and put them into a food processor to grind them down finer.

TIP #3 - HUMIDITY: Don't plan on baking macarons in high humidity (like on a rainy day) because it makes the process twice as long! After piping the batter, it needs to rest in order to dry out and harden. If they are not able to dry out properly, they will not be able to rise and set with the signature macaron "feet".

TIP #4 - KITCHEN TOOLS: For best results, use a kitchen scale to weigh your ingredients as opposed to relying on volume measurements. If you have a fancy digital scale, great, but it's not necessary. I use the Polder Kitchen Scale, under $6 at Bed Bath and Beyond. Use durable baking sheets. If you use cheap, thin baking sheets, they will most likely warp in the heat of the oven and cause your macarons to be lopsided. An oven thermometer is crucial! A 10 degree difference can be the fine line between success and failure. Also, parchment paper is a MUST. Do not use a greased baking sheet. Any added fats will ruin your macarons. If you have a silpat (silicone baking mat) all the better.

TIP #5 - AIR BUBBLES: Here's where it gets confusing. You want to beat your egg whites to almost stiff peaks, but when folding in the dry ingredients, you want to deflate the batter to the point where it flows, some people say like "lava". Too much air in the batter will result in the ever frustrating hollow shells. After you pipe the batter onto the baking sheet, rap the pan against the counter a few times to release any remaining air bubbles. You can use a toothpick to pop any that you see on the surface.

TIP #6 - MATURATION: If you over cook your macarons, don't fret. Macarons are best eaten after 24-72 hours to give them time to "mature". A crispy shell will absorb some humidity from inside of the cookie, causing it to soften after a few days. If your filling is not very liquid, like buttercream, you can brush the bottom of the shells with milk or jam to help with the maturation process.  Okay, now that I've scared you with everything that could go wrong, let's make some macarons!

Ingredients:

Yields about 24 macarons
Macaron Shells 120 g almond flour 200 g powdered sugar 100 g egg whites 35 g granulated sugar red/yellow gel food coloring
Guava Buttercream 60 g (4 tbsp) room temperature butter 128 g (1 cup) powdered sugar 16 g (2 tbsp) guava paste splash of milk, if needed
Caramel/Dulce de Leche 1 can sweetened condensed milk
Instructions:
1. For Salted Caramel Macarons, start with this dulce de leche caramel filling first since it will take the longest (you can also do this a day or two ahead of time). Bring a small pot of water up to boil. Place the whole can of sweetened condensed milk in the boiling water and cook for 2.5-3 hours. The longer this cooks, the thicker the caramel will be. When time is up, cool in the fridge for at least 1.5 hours. Open up the can, and the caramel should be golden brown. Spoon into a piping bag to fill macaron shells.

2. Preheat oven to 300 degrees Farenheit.
3. Beat egg whites for a few seconds until frothy. Add granulated sugar, and beat to glossy, soft peaks. Add gel food coloring, 1 drop of yellow for salted caramel shells (pale yellow), 2 drops of red for guava shells (light pink).
4. Sift dry ingredients. Gently fold into egg mixture 1/3 at a time. Continue folding until all ingredients are combined, and the batter resembles "lava" or a thick cake batter consistency.
5. Fill a piping bag with a round tip with batter. On a baking sheet lined with parchment paper, pipe macaron rounds about 1.5 inches in diameter, leaving a small gap between each one. They should flatten and smooth out on their own.
6. Rap the sheet flat against the counter to release any air bubbles. Add any decorations/garnishes now. (For the Salted Caramel Macarons, I sprinkled some coarse pink himalayan salt and a few edible hearts). Let sit to dry out at least 20-40 minutes, or until the macarons are firm to the touch and are not tacky.

7. Bake on middle rack for 12-15 minutes. Keep a close eye, but do not open and close the oven door excessively. When time is up, remove from oven and cool completely before removing shells from the sheet. A successful macaron shell will have a smooth top with ruffled "feet" at the bottom.

8. For Guava Buttercream, beat room temperature butter in a bowl until smooth and pale. Add powdered sugar and guava paste, and mix until smooth. If the mixture is too thick, add a splash of milk. If the mixture is too thin, add more powdered sugar. Place into a piping bag to fill macaron shells.
9. Pair up same sized shells and pipe a dollop of filling directly onto the middle leaving a small border. Put the top shell on and push down until the filling comes just to the edge of the macaron.

10. Enjoy!

I made a big batch of these for friends, and they loved them! They make for great gifts, click HERE for instructions on how to make an origami box. I used an old Vogue magazine for the bright colors & patterns :)

My next recipe will be Fruity Pebble Macarons, so stay tuned! Let me know how yours turn out :)