Nga Nguyen

Salted caramel and apple macarons

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13-year-old: ???

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Salted caramel and apple macarons

(Adapted from Pierre Herme and Use Real Butter)Ingredients

Ingredients

Semi-Dried Apples (prepare the day before)
  • 3 Honeycrisp apples, peeled, cored, and cubed (about 8 mm)
  • Juice of ½ lemon
  • 15 g sugar
Salted Caramel (prepare the day before)
  • 100 g sugar
  • 115 g heavy cream
  • A pinch of salt
  • 25 g butter
Macaron Shells
  • 110 g almond flour, sifted
  • 200 g confectioner’s sugar, sifted
  • 1 tbsp cocoa powder, sifted
  • 100 g egg whites (about 3 large eggs), aged 1–7 days, room temperature
  • 50 g sugar
Salted Caramel Filling
  • Salted caramel (from above)
  • 100 g butter, room temperature

Day 1: Prep Like a Pro

Semi-Dried Apples
  1. Preheat oven to 220°F (105°C).
  2. Toss apple cubes with lemon juice and sugar.
  3. Spread in a single layer on a baking tray.
  4. Dry for about 1 hour—the apples should shrink slightly but stay pliable.
  5. Store at room temperature overnight.
Salted Caramel
  1. Bring the cream and salt just to a boil; keep hot.
  2. In a large saucepan, melt the sugar over medium heat until it turns dark amber.
  3. Remove from heat and add butter.
    ⚠️ It will bubble aggressively. This is normal. Don’t panic.
  4. Stir with a spatula until smooth.
  5. Slowly add hot cream, stirring continuously.
  6. Return to low heat and cook until it reaches 225°F (107°C).
  7. Pour into a dish, press plastic wrap directly onto the surface.
  8. Refrigerate until completely cold.

Day 2: Assembly Time

Macaron Shells
  1. Line two baking sheets with Silpat or parchment.
  2. In a bowl, combine almond flour, confectioner’s sugar, and cocoa powder.
  3. In a clean bowl, beat egg whites with sugar until stiff peaks.
  4. Gently fold the meringue into the dry ingredients with a spatula.
  5. Transfer batter to a piping bag fitted with a large round tip.
  6. Pipe small rounds onto baking sheets.
  7. Let sit 30–60 minutes, until a skin forms.
  8. Preheat oven to 300°F (150°C).
  9. Bake for 14 minutes.
  10. Cool completely before removing.
Salted Caramel Filling
  1. Whisk butter until light and fluffy.
  2. Add cooled salted caramel and mix until smooth.
  3. Use immediately.
Assembly
  • Bring to room temperature 30 minutes before serving.
  • Pipe a generous mound of filling onto half the shells.
  • Press 5–6 cubes of semi-dried apples into the center.
  • Top with remaining shells.
  • Refrigerate for 24 hours (this is non-negotiable).
  • Bring to room temperate about 30 minutes before serving.