Salted Caramel Macaroons

Caramel

In a small saucepan over medium-high, melt sugar (3/4 cup). No need to stir, the sugar will melt all on its own. After the sugar has just melted, whisk constantly and make sure the caramel does not burn. You're looking for a consistent deep golden colour with no remaining sugar grains. If you have a candy thermometer, you're looking to register 350°F.

Remove from heat and whisk in butter (3 Tbsp.). The butter should bubble up. Once the butter is completely incorporated, add salt and heavy cream (1/4 cup), whisking until smooth. Set caramel aside to cool.

Macaroons

Set oven rack near center and preheat oven to 325°F. Line baking sheet with parchment paper.

In a medium bowl, mix together flaked coconut, caramel, and vanilla extract.

In a separate bowl, combine eggs (2) and salt. Beat until stiff peaks form. Use a rubber spatula to fold the egg whites into the coconut mixture.

With two small spoons, create lightly packed tablespoons of batter and place baking tray. Repeat until the tray is filled, keeping about 1 inch of space in between each unbaked macaroon.

Bake for 22 minutes, until tops and edges are more golden and lightly crisped, rotating the pan front to back about midway through. This recipe makes 2 trays' worth of macaroons, you can also bake 2 trays simultaneously. Let macaroons cool on wire rack or paper towel.

If dipping the macaroons in chocolate, melt tthe chocolate in a microwave-safe bowl at medium power, stopping and stirring at 30 second intervals, until just smooth and creamy. Alternatively, melt the chocolate in a double boiler over simmering water. Dip the bottoms of the macaroons in the chocolate, scraping excess off with a knife or spatula and back into the bowl, and return to the lined baking sheets. Place the macaroons in the refrigerator for about 10 minutes to allow the chocolate to set.

The macaroons keep well in an airtight container at room temperature for about a week, and can also be frozen and left in the freezer for a few months.

The first time we made macaroons was as a dessert addition to our family's Passover dinner. After some searching on the internet and different cookbooks, Jenn Segal's Coconut Macaroons recipe stuck out to us. We love her easy to follow step-by-step approach and inclusion of very useful photos. We made Jenn's macaroons sans modifications a handful of times. Then we came across a caramel macaroon at Cafe Orso in Deep Cove during a bike ride which inspired us to make this version!

Macaroons are a great dessert for keeping kosher for Passover and serving after meat meals, with the option to remove the heavy cream while making the caramel. They're also nice addition to your regular coffee in the morning.