Homemade Dulce de Leche and Chocolate Macarons
Ever since I went to Paris with my daughter 9 years ago and had a Macaron at Ladurée Pâtisserie, I’ve wanted to try making them. Although it’s only recently that they’ve become the rage in the United States.
For those of you that aren’t familiar with Macarons NOT Macaroons they come in an infinite array of colors with fillings from the ordinary to unimaginable.
Macarons are made with few ingredients: almond flour, sugar and most importantly aged egg whites. The process is precise to achieve perfection for simple and few ingredients.
Since chocolate is my favorite flavor I decided to attempt to make Chocolate Macarons.
After thumbing through the pages of numerous cookbooks like Mad About Macarons and Macarons and reading various blogs I decided to tackle Helene’s recipe from Tartelette. Many of the recipes in the Macaron cookbooks are in large quantity and although I could scale them down I decided to try her version for 30 Chocolate Macarons to get my hands wet, so to speak. Mad About Macarons does have a scaled down version with different quantities in the back of her book that’s very helpful, which I’ll use next time.
In addition, I thought I’d make some homemade Dulce de Leche which turned out positively superb! Soft, silky and gooey with just the perfect caramelized flavor. If you’re not familiar with Dulce de Leche it’s a thick caramel-like mixture. In Spanish it translates to “sweet milk,” or “milk candy.” A simple preparation of sugar cooked with goats’ and/or cow’s milk for hours over low heat until thickened and deep golden in color. However, the taste is similar to sweetened condensed milk when cooked the same way. For details read below.
I hate to admit it, although I could have guessed, my first attempt at Macarons did not achieve perfection – though I learned from my mistakes and I’m ready to try again. The shells weren’t as hard and crisp as I would have liked – more time was needed in the oven, still, the taste of this delicate cookie stuffed with Dulce de Leche and some blended with Nutella was more flavorful than I could have asked for! Mmm I could have eaten the entire batch, but restrained myself to share with my family.
Below is the recipe for the homemade Dulce de Leche. There are several ways one could make this using a can of Sweetened Condensed Milk but I chose the safest way. Many choose to place the unopened can in a pot of hot water to cook for hours. The risk of pressure building up causing an explosion or burning yourself is extreme – my way is safe and quicker.
Hi, I’m Vicki Bensinger! I have been teaching culinary classes throughout Missouri since 1992. I offer personalized private culinary classes for individuals and small groups in the comfort of your home or organization.
These are so darn impressive as in everything you make the precision is spot on very nice job!
Thank you for your nice comment Claudia. Half the batch I cooked on convection mode and those turned out great. The ones cooked conventionally didn’t turn out as well. I think they needed more baking time to firm up. Next time they’ll be better until I perfect them.
However, even still they were so very good and that much better when stuffed.
Your macarons look good, the filling sounds pretty amazing!
I made macarons at home for the first time this year, after spending an afternoon baking with a pro macaron baker and I can say there are several tricks to making them successfully, practice makes perfect- like so Many things we bake!
Practice definitely makes perfect. I think they would have been absolutely perfect had I kept them in 2-3 minutes longer. I forgot the method they described to look for when the macarons are done. I’ll remember next time. Hopefully that will be soon. I’d like to duplicate what I just did for comparison.
Any tips you have would be appreciated!
Great job on the macarons! They look perfect and I’m sure they tasted great 🙂
These are absolutely stunning Vicki! Would you believe I’ve never had a macaron? I’d love to try these!
I love this any time of the week..You are making me to have it now..
Aarthi
http://yummytummy-aarthi.blogspot.com/
Thank you Amrita, Ann and Aarthi, they tasted wonderful. I still need to work on them but in time I’m sure I will get it down precisely – at least I hope so. Then I can have fun creating flavors and colors.
The fantastic description of the Dulce De Leche left me drooling uncontrollably, Vicki!How gorgeous that must have tasted!Waiting for your Macarons recipe – so please do make it really fast:)
Next time you’re in Paris you need to try Pierre Herme’s macarons. I thought Laduree was amazing but Pierre Herme was better! Great macarons.
Thank you Sudha. I will be sure to Post it once I get the kinks out.
Joanne I have his Macaron cookbook that was recently released in English. However I would definitely like to try his store out. I’ll be sure to check it out next time I’m there.
These are so pretty and sound simply delicious. We were in Paris last summer and I saw these beautiful little treats all over – so glad to have a recipe now to make them – thanks!
mary x
Oh my Gosh, they look fabulous!
Thank you for visiting my blog Vicki, I appreciate it!
Your blog is so good!!
Thank you Eri, that’s so kInd of you to say. I hope you’ll try them.
These look great! I’ve never made Macarons, but they look tasty. Have you seen the blog, Sweet Tart? She’s a professional baker and Macaron expert – worth checking out in your quest for learning to make the perfect Macaron.
Kitchen Riffs – you must live in st louis as well. I was at kitchen Conservatory with you as well when she shared her technique with us for Macarons. That was fun and helpful.
I’ve been reading many books as well for months on the topic trying to get it perfect my first time. I think it’s trial and error and testing the temperature of your oven to insure its been properly cooked. They tasted great but they still need tweaking.
Those look pretty perfect to me! I won a copy of Jill’s Mad About Macaron’s book for Christmas and I’ve been waiting (impatiently) for it to give it a try myself. So tasty!
I have Jill’s Mad About Macarons an love it. I actually planned to use one of her fantastic recipes but ended up using Tartelette’s since it was a small recipe. That said Jill’s book lists various quantities in the back of her book. My next recipe will be from there. I hope you try them.
These look totally delicious!
They are so pretty with perfect feet!
Oh deliciousness!! Will be trying this soon!
Now this is the macaron flavor I want to imitate! Gorgeous job, Vicki!!!
Hi Vicki, just a followup – yes I do live in St. Louis, but alas, we haven’t met – I wasn’t able to make the Kitchen Conservatory lesson. And actually I messed up the blog name – I mentioned Sweet Tart, which of course you assumed was Sweet Art. The blog I was actually thinking of is BraveTart (www.bravetart.com). Sorry for the brain timeout in my earlier comment. Anyway, just posting again to clarify.
Those look incredible! I wish I can make them like that!:) Great post!
Thanks for sharing and have a wonderful day!!
These mcarons look so yummy! I’d love to try these. Perfect pictures. Thanks for this amazing post!
I have to admit that I have never eaten macarons, although they do sound really good and they sure do look beautiful! Thanks for sharing how to make dulce de leche!
For those of you that haven’t made Macarons they’re really not that hard. I have to admit I was a bit intimidated by them but they were pretty easy. You just need the right equipment especially a scale. I plan to try others this weekend and will post details so you can make them as well.
Oh and the Dulce de Leche mixed with Nutella for the filling was sensational.
Your macarons look delectable even if you think they need more work. I loved your post today. I hope you have a great day. Blessings…Mary
Great job Vicki, the filling sounds delicious – looking forward to your next ones! You’ve got it sussed.
Thank you Mary and thank you Jill for your inspiration and detailed instructions.
These look so good- I haven’t been brave enough to try macarons yet. 🙂
I don’t think anyone’s first attempt at macs comes out well does it? I know mine didn’t … and that also happened to be my last, lol. These look gorgeous, though, really lovely!
Jill’s got a few crucial steps listed in her book which I found really did make he difference – let your whites rest for 4 days first, and then don’t eat the day you make them. Once they sit with the filling in them overnight they taste way better. Her intro section is filled with great tips!
Jen I did follow all Jill’s instructions but am waiting to post for my next batch when I get a few of the kinks out.
Thanks Trix. I’m going to hopefully get another go at it this week.
Scrambledhenfruit you should try them. They’re not difficult to make but practice will indeed perfect them.
Your idea of perfect may be different than mine. Your macarons are delightful and love the flavors…delicious!
I highly admire people who make macarons (including Jill). They are so lovely and something that I wish I can make them too…the colors and shape and everything is so cute and irresistible. Your macarons look perfect!
Macarons are my weakness. They’re so tiny and airy that you can’t eat just one. Mmm, maybe one DOZEN, perhaps. 😉
mmmmm….macaron heaven! Yours look delicious!