WARNING: These Crème Brûlée Macarons w/ Burnt Sugar Shards come with a severe shock factor. Upon the first bite, these macarons are even better than they look. It’s Crème Brûlée in macaron form, with the perfect balance of sweetness, vanilla, and custard, and the paleo & vegan caramel adds the best butterscotch flavor and sweetness. The tops are crumble and crack, the burnt sugar shards provide the perfect crunch, and the caramel filling oozes out and takes you somewhere else. It’s honestly a spiritual experience. Put in the time, effort to experience these - I promise you that Crème Brûlée Macarons w/ Burnt Sugar Shards are worth it!

These patisserie beauties are gorgeous, delicious and gluten-free. With this foolproof classic recipe, we’ve taken the guesswork out of macarons to easily yield tasty and professional-looking macarons every time!

TIPS AND TRICKS:

• For a subtle kick, I like to add a pinch of Pumpkin Spice to my macaron batter. It’s totally optional but I love the undertone of cinnamon accompanying the caramel - I use about 1/8 to 1/4 teaspoon.

• Do not leave the caramel mixture, whether it be for the shards or the caramel itself. It’s an easy process but the caramel will begin to darken immediately once it passes a certain heat threshold. It needs to be watched closely, stirred often (concentrate your stirring on the sides of the pan to avoid the sugar crystalizing) to avoid over-browning or burning.

• The paleo “buttercream” filling will harden slightly in the fridge. Similarly, it’ll soften if sitting at room temperature for too long. For the ideal texture, I’d refrigerate the macarons immediately after piping the buttercream in - let the filling set for a bit (20 to 30 minutes), then serve. These will last in the fridge for 2-3 days - any longer, the filling may begin to lose shape and seperate.

• Precision is key to perfect macarons. Be sure to measure the ingredients precisely and accommodate extraneous factors, like humidity and oven temp.

• Follow the step-by-step directions to make meringue. You want to fold in the almond mixture until you can lift the spatula and ribbon a figure 8 with the batter.

• After piping into rounds, let the shells dry until a film forms on top. You should be able to brush the shells without them being tacky - this can take 20 minutes to 1.5 hours, depending on the humidity of your kitchen. Be patient, and don’t cheat! If your macarons won’t form a skin, then try placing them under the hood fan (on low speed) until fully dry. Otherwise, it’s best not to have any targeted air flowing near the macarons (like the AC) or else the macarons may crack when being baked.