Name: Salted Caramel Macaroons
Prep time: 5 min
Cook time: 15 min
Ingredients: 200g desiccated coconut; ½ tin/200g Nestlé caramel (See Recipe Notes); ¼ teaspoon or more of fine salt (ideally sea salt)(See Recipe Notes); 100g dark chocolate (70% cocoa solids)

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Incredibly quick to make and using only 4 ingredients, these delectable treats are loaded with coconut, salted caramel and chocolate. With a crispy outer crust and a chewy centre, no one would guess that they take only 5 minutes preparation time and a maximum of 15 minutes in the oven.

I have been trying to clarify the precise difference between macaroons and macarons as these two words are often inter-changeable! It is my understanding that French macarons are made from Italian meringue and ground almonds and are often sandwiched with butter cream or ganache. Macaroons, on the other hand, are made from desiccated coconut, egg whites and sugar. Both tend to be crispy on the outside and chewy on the inside. But then there are almond macaroons which use similar ingredients but with some rice flour and are more like cookies. I have very clear images of what each looks like, but find it very difficult to nail an accurate explanation, as the ingredients are so similar.

I think I just need to make each and not over-think it!

With all that in mind, I made these, and to confuse the issue further, they really aren’t any of the above! I have called them macaroons because they look like macaroons and their main ingredient is coconut, but in reality they are more of a salted caramel Bounty Bar! I made some Banana Sticky Toffee Cupcakes with Salted Caramel Buttercream Frosting and I had some leftover caramel. With the macaron/macaroon debate in my head, this was the result! And what a result they turned out to be!

How to make Salted Caramel Macaroons

Collect all your ingredients together:

desiccated coconut
Nestlé tinned caramel
fine salt (ideally sea salt)
dark chocolate (70% cocoa solids)

How to make them:

These are so easy and literally take 5 minutes to pull together. Please note that I used Nestlé tinned caramel for ease and speed. I cannot vouch for this recipe using any other type!

I like a little kick from the salt. If you are unsure about how much salt you will like, add half the amount, taste and increase until you are happy.

Weigh out your desiccated coconut, caramel and fine salt into a mixing bowl.
Mix thoroughly ensuring that all the coconut is fully covered in the caramel.
Taste – you may wish to add more salt.
Using a small ice cream scoop or a tablespoon measure, scoop out the macaroons. Use your fingers to press into the measure/spoon to make sure they are compact, a neat shape and similar in size.
Space out on a baking parchment lined baking tray – they can be quite close together as they will not spread out as they cook.
Bake in the centre of a pre-heated oven for 10 -15 minutes – I cook for 13 minutes in my oven. They should be slightly firm/crispy and lightly browned on the outside – they will still be soft on the inside.
Leave to cool on the tray.

1 Weigh desiccated coconut, caramel & salt into bowl.

Add the chocolate to the macaroons:

Melt the chocolate when the coconut cookies have fully cooled.

Melt the chocolate in the microwave. Blitz for 1 minute, stir and leave to sit for a few minutes until completely melted. If there are still lumps blitz again, but only in 10 – 15 second increments. Alternatively you can melt the chocolate in a bain marie. (See Recipe Notes)
Take the cookies and dip the base of each in the chocolate. Put back on to the baking tray to set.
Use the remaining chocolate to drizzle over the tops. Leave to set – you can pop them in the fridge to speed up the process, although they are best eaten at room temperature.
Voila – all finished!

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Salted Caramel Macaroons

Incredibly quick to make and using only 4 ingredients, these delectable treats are loaded with coconut, salted caramel and chocolate. Makes 15

Course afternoon tea, confectionery, Morning Coffee, treat

Cuisine British

Keyword Chocolate, coconut, salted caramel

Prep Time 5 minutes

Cook Time 15 minutes

Author Susan

Ingredients

200g desiccated coconut
½ tin/200g Nestlé caramel (See Recipe Notes)
¼ teaspoon or more of fine salt (ideally sea salt)(See Recipe Notes)
100g dark chocolate (70% cocoa solids)

Instructions

Collect together your equipment (see Recipe Notes below) and ingredients.
Preheat oven to Fan Oven 160°C/180°C/200°F/Gas 5
Make the macaroons: weigh out your desiccated coconut, caramel and fine salt into a mixing bowl.
Mix thoroughly ensuring that all the coconut is fully covered in the caramel.
Taste – you may wish to add more salt.
Using a small ice cream scoop or a tablespoon measure, scoop out the macaroons. Use your fingers to press into the measure/spoon to make sure they are compact, a neat shape and similar in size.
Space out on a baking parchment lined baking tray – they can be quite close together as they will not spread out as they cook.
Bake in the centre of a pre-heated oven for 10 -15 minutes – I cook for 13 minutes in my oven. They should be slightly firm/crispy and lightly browned on the outside – they will still be soft on the inside.
Leave to cool on the tray.
Add the chocolate to the macaroons: when the macaroons have fully cooled, melt the chocolate in the microwave. Blitz for 1 minute, stir and leave to sit for a few minutes until completely melted. If there are still lumps, blitz again, but only in 10 – 15 second increments. Alternatively you can melt the chocolate in a bain marie. (See Recipe Notes)
Take the cookies and dip the base of each in the chocolate. Put back on to the baking tray to set.
Use the remaining chocolate to drizzle over the tops. Leave to set – you can pop them in the fridge to speed up the process, although they are best eaten at room temperature.
Voila – all finished!

Recipe Notes

Equipment:

kitchen scales and measuring spoons
mixing bowl x 2
small ice cream scoop or 1 x round tablespoon measure
baking tray lined with baking parchment

Use Nestlé tinned caramel or equivalent:

These are so easy and literally take 5 minutes to pull together. Please note that I used Nestlé tinned caramel for ease and speed. I cannot vouch for this recipe using any other type!

Salt:

I like a little kick from the salt and use fine sea salt. If you are unsure about how much salt you will like, add half the amount, taste and increase until you are happy. You could also scatter the tops of the macaroons with some larger grains of sea salt.

Be very careful melting the chocolate:

Chocolate can be very difficult to work with. You can overheat it very easily and the mixture will go grainy. When this happens, there is no way to resolve it I’m afraid!

Microwave: I give the chocolate a minute in the microwave, take it out and stir it well, then let it sit for a few minutes to see if it continues melting sufficiently to melt all the chocolate. If not, I then continue with the microwave but in 10 – 15 second bursts.

Bain Marie: if you do not have a microwave, put the chocolate in a heatproof bowl over a saucepan of gently simmering water. Do not let the base of the bowl touch the water. Heat until the chocolate is very nearly melted, then take it off the heat and take the bowl off the saucepan. Be very careful not to burn yourself as the bowl will be hot and steam will escape from the saucepan. Allow the mixture to sit for a few minutes for the residual heat to melt the remainder of the mixture. Again, be careful not to over-heat.