Macarons with caramel cream

Ingredients for 1 servings:

• 33 g protein
• 33 g almonds, finely ground (blanched)
• 65 g powdered sugar
• 11 g sugar
• Food coloring, e.g. powder or gel color
• 200 g chocolate
• 57 g sugar
• 1 tsp syrup (e.g. Grafschafter)
• 1 tsp water
• 100 ml cream
• Fleur de Sel, optional

Instructions

Working time approx. 45 minutes; Rest time approx. 20 minutes; Cooking/baking time approx. 20 minutes; Total time approx. 1 hour 25 minutes

sophisticated and delicious

Sift the powdered sugar together with the almonds. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper. It’s best to draw the circles beforehand, as this will help ensure a more even shape. I like to use my Silpat mat, which has pre-printed circles. Beat the egg whites until foamy, then add the 11 grams of granulated sugar. Continue beating until the egg whites form stiff peaks when you remove the whisk attachment. If you want to color the macarons, add the coloring to the egg whites now. Please only use powdered or gel coloring, otherwise the batter will not turn out well. Add the almond-powdered sugar mixture to the egg whites and fold in with a spatula. It’s best to work in “rounds” along the edge of the bowl, pushing/folding the batter into the center after each round. When a thick, runny consistency is achieved, transfer the batter to a piping bag and pipe even dots onto the baking sheet. Tap the sheet firmly on the table a few times to release any air bubbles, then let the macarons rest for 20 minutes. Five minutes before the end of the resting time, preheat the oven to 140°C (fan oven). I then place the macarons on the lowest rack and rotate the baking tray after five minutes. I then bake the shells for another 12 minutes. For the cream, melt the sugar with water and syrup in a non-stick pan and let the mixture caramelize until medium brown. Then remove the pan from the heat and stir in the cream (carefully, it can splatter a lot). If you like, stir in a pinch of fleur de sel at this point. Pour the hot mixture over the chopped chocolate, wait a moment, and then stir until smooth. Let cool, whisk vigorously again, and then pipe into the macaron shells. Tips: You’ll have to experiment a bit with your oven when it comes to the baking time and temperature; every oven is different. The consistency of the batter is also a matter of experience. The batter should run slowly off the spatula. If you have fewer egg whites, simply adjust the amount of almonds accordingly. However, you shouldn’t use too much more or too much less, as otherwise the ratio with the powdered sugar will be off. The macarons taste best at room temperature and after they’ve been left to rest overnight.