Coffee Caramel Macarons
By Emma
Certified Culinary Professional
•
Recipe tested & approved
Macarons with a coffee twist and a caramel-inspired filling. Uses adjusted quantities with honey instead of sugar and almond flour swapped with hazelnut powder. Salted butter replaces unsalted. Mixing steps reorganized, rest times varied slightly to change texture and ease. Bake time shifted by a few minutes to ensure even cook. Filling whipped then chilled before assembling. The macaron batter folded until smooth and glossy. Cooling, drying, and sandwiching done with patience.
Prep:
50 min
Cook:
25 min
Total:
Servings:
24 servings
#French desserts
#macaron recipes
#nut-based macarons
#coffee desserts
#dulce de leche recipes
Shells crisp on the outside, tender inside. Coffee grinds ground fine, barely gritty but adds earthiness. Honey replaces sugar in dry blend to cut sharpness. Texture changes. Hazelnut powder switches almond flavor to subtle nutty. Butter salted, not sweet. Fills in dulce de leche turned airy, whipped cooling chills. Rest times longer. Bakes slower. Small changes to tweak chew and look. Patience and timing needed. Macarons that shift familiar but not drastic. Assemble cold, serve warmed. Bite melts on tongue. Coffee aroma, caramel richness. No shortcuts. Work quickly but pause between actions. Keep spatula clean to avoid lumping. A delicate balancing act between meringue science and pastry art. Bring coffee flavors forward without bitter notes sticking out.
Ingredients
- 90 g honey, light and liquid
- 91 g hazelnut powder, finely ground
- 5 ml (1 tsp) ground coffee
- 3 egg whites, room temperature
- 65 g caster sugar
- 110 ml dulce de leche
- 60 g salted butter, softened
- 1 pinch fleur de sel
About the ingredients
Hazelnut powder used instead of almond powder. Grind nuts finely or purchase readily ground to avoid grit. Honey replaces traditional icing sugar. Use mild tasting honey to avoid overpowering. Salted butter adds depth; adjust fleur de sel pinch accordingly. Coffee finely ground, espresso grind fine but not powdery helps integration without gritty texture. Egg whites at room temperature whisp better for stable meringue. Caster sugar standard for smooth dissolving when beating whites. Dulce de leche can be homemade or store-bought rich caramel spread. Parchment tracing ensures uniform macaron size for even baking and professional look. Piping tip 1 cm diameter standard for neat circles. Avoid overmixing batter; look for glossy sheen, slow drip with slight resistance. Resting shells until dry prevents cracking and controls rise. Timing and temperature critical for cleanup and texture.
Method
- Beat egg whites with a whisk until foamy. Slowly add caster sugar, beat until stiff peaks, glossy meringue forms.
- In a bowl, sift honey with hazelnut powder and coffee grounds. Mix well.
- Fold wet meringue into dry ingredients gently with spatula. Mix until batter is shiny and flows slowly off spatula but still thick enough to pipe.
- Preheat oven to 170°C (340°F). Line two baking trays with parchment. Trace 24 circles about 4 cm diameter on parchment under sheets then flip parchment over.
- Transfer batter to piping bag with 1 cm round tip. Pipe round shapes inside traced circles. Tap trays hard a couple times on counter for bubbles to rise. Rest 25 minutes for shells to develop a matte, slightly firm skin.
- Bake one tray at a time for about 25 minutes. Rotate halfway if needed. Let cool completely on racks about 1 hour before removing from parchment carefully.
- Mix dulce de leche with softened salted butter and a pinch of fleur de sel in a bowl. Whip with electric mixer until pale and fluffy. Cover, refrigerate 25 minutes to thicken.
- Beat filling again briefly until firm peaks form. Transfer into piping bag with plain tip.
- Pipe filling onto bottoms of half the cooled shells. Sandwich with remaining shells gently pressing.
- Store macarons in airtight container in fridge at least 8 hours or freeze if wanted. Bring to room temp 30 minutes before eating.
Cooking tips
Start by beating egg whites until foamy, add sugar slowly for glossy stiff peaks. Dry blend honey, nuts, coffee together well before folding. Folding is gentle, not aggressive; work with spatula edge to keep air but homogenize. Piping uniform rounds; tapping trays reduces air pockets. Resting shells important for forming a smooth top ‘skin’. Bake one tray at a time; too crowded ovens cause uneven temperature. Cool fully before peeling off parchment to avoid breaks. Fill whipped till fluffy but firm for easier piping and hold between shells. Refrigerate filling to firm up; whip again for consistency. Assemble gently to avoid cracking shells. Store chilled to mature texture and flavor profile; freezer ok but thaw before serving. Let macarons temper before eating. Timing adjustments around 5 minutes to balance softness and chewiness. Precision and patience key throughout.
Chef's notes
- 💡 Egg whites must be room temp. Whip until foamy before sugar addition. Add sugar sloooow. Watch for stiffness. Glossy peaks tell when. Skip rushing. Meringue unstable? Sugar helps stabilize. Over whipping? Dries mix out. Under whipping? No lift.
- 💡 Hazelnut powder grind fine. Big bits wreck texture. Optional to sift powder combo with honey and coffee grounds. Prevent clumps. Honey sticky, dry powders can lump fast. Mix gently but thoroughly. Coffee grind fine but gritty grit tough. Espresso grind works better here.
- 💡 Fold meringue with spatula edge. Not aggressive. Keep air in. Mix until glossy mix drips slow off spatula tip but holds shape. Too much fold, batter sloppy, loses height and bakes flat. Under fold, dry specks, cracked shells. Balance is last challenge.
- 💡 Use parchment tracing method to pipe consistent circles. Flip paper so traced side under. Avoid pencil imprints on macarons. Tap tray sharply to release bubbles. Critical. Air left trapped causes bubbles, cracks or odd shapes.
- 💡 Rest shells 25 minutes minimum. Skin forms thin matte layer. Too short, shells crack or raise spikes in oven. Too long, gets dry. Bake at 170°C not hotter. One tray at a time prevents uneven heat. Rotate tray halfway if oven hotspots seen.
- 💡 Cool shells fully before peeling. Warm peel breaks shells easily. Chill filling a must. Dulce de leche blends with butter, salt, whipped to airy, pale cream. Refrigerate at least 25 mins to firm. Whip again before piping to firm peaks.
- 💡 Assembly gentle. Place filling dollop on half shells. Sandwich carefully. Press lightly. Too much pressure cracks. Cold store minimum 8 hours for flavors to marry, texture to soften crease. Freeze okay. Bring to room temp 30 min before eating for melt mouth feel.
Common questions
Why use honey instead of sugar?
Honey changes dry mix texture. Sticky, denser. Decreases sharp sugar notes. Slows drying a bit. Adds moisture. But hard to mix dry spectrum well. Needs good sift and fold. Impacts baking behavior slightly.
Can almond flour be used instead of hazelnut powder?
Yes can swap. Texture shifts delicate. Almonds less nutty. Grind almonds very fine. Sift thoroughly. Watch batter thickness adjusts. Sweetness subtle different. Overall flavor less earthy so coffee more forward.
What if shells crack or rise with feet uneven?
First suspect resting time. Not rested enough or oven too hot. Rest longer till dry skin forms fully. Check oven temp accuracy. Try flipping tray or bake slower. Gaps between piped shells help airflow avoid moist patches.
How long can macarons store and best method?
Airtight fridge min 8 hours needed. Shells gain chew, filling firms. Freeze works too. Wrap tightly with parchment inside airtight container. Thaw 30 minutes room temp. Avoid humidity or shells soften excessively.
