Caramel Apple Macarons
Serves 40
30 mins prep
45 mins cook
75 mins total
Green apple macaron shells filled with green apple white chocolate ganache and salted caramel.
Apple macaron shells
Sugar syrup
White chocolate apple ganache filling
Salted caramel
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Prepare the white chocolate ganache filling
Combine diced apple, sugar and lemon juice in a small saucepan and bring to a boil while stirring constantly. Simmer for about 5 minutes or until apples are softened. Remove from heat. Puree. Add freeze-dried apple and puree again until smooth.
Place the cooled apple jam, cream and chocolate in a heatproof bowl. Melt, stirring constantly, over a bain-marie. Add a few drops of green food coloring. Transfer to a small bowl, let cool completely and refrigerate before using.
Prepare the macaron shells
Line baking sheets with parchment paper or silicone baking mats. Fit a piping bag with a plain round tip (I use a Wilton 1A tip).
Combine powdered sugar, almond flour and freeze-dried apple in a food processor. Pulse until combined. Sift into a large bowl, discarding any large bits.
In a small bowl, place 55g egg whites and a few drops of green food coloring. Beat together until well combined. Pour the whites over the dry ingredients. Combine with a rubber spatula. The mixture will be very thick.
Place the other 55g egg whites and salt the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a whisk attachment. Set aside until you prepare the sugar syrup.
In a small saucepan, combine the 150g sugar with the 2 ½ tbsp water and place on medium heat. When it reaches 230°F start whipping the egg whites. When the syrup reaches 244°F, remove from heat and pour into the whipped egg whites while mixing continuously, in a small, slow stream. Continue beating until the bowl has cooled slightly, and glossy stiff peaks have formed.
Add the whipped whites over the almond mixture and using a silicone spatula gently fold in until combined and smooth. Work the batter until it flows in very thick ribbons when the spatula is lifted. It is done when it passes the figure-8 check.
Transfer the mixture to the piping bag.
Pipe the batter on the parchment-lined baking sheets in 1-inch circles, evenly spaced one-inch apart.
Bang the baking sheet a few times firmly on your counter top to flatten the macarons and remove air bubbles. Remaining air bubbles can be popped with a wet toothpick or metal cake tester.
Let the macarons dry at room temperature 30-40 minutes, or until skins have formed and they are dry to the touch. Preheat the oven to 300°F.
Bake for 20-24 minutes. Macarons are done when their tops no longer wiggle on their feet. Remove from the oven and let cool before removing from the baking sheet.
Melt the caramels
Combine the caramels and the heavy cream in a medium saucepan over low heat. Stir constantly until melted. Add salt and stir until incorporated.
Let caramel cool until it has thickened to a pipeable consistency. Transfer to a piping bag.
Assemble
Pipe apple ganache in a circle on the underside of one macaron shell. Fill the center of that circle with the salted caramel and repeat until each macaron has been sandwiched together with an accompanying shell.
Refrigerate for at at least one day before serving. Serve macarons at room temperature.
