Rich, crisp on the outside, chewy on the inside chocolate macarons filled with caramel and toasted coconut. These Chocolate Macarons have the flavors of a Girl Scout Samoa cookie but they’re fancy enough to serve at your next party.
The Girl Scout Samoa cookie is only available once a year. They’re my favorite packaged cookie. A heavenly combination of cookie, chocolate, caramel and coconut that is irresistible. I incorporated these flavors into a macaron so I can have them any time of year.
How To Make Chocolate Macarons
- It’s important to have the correct ratio of egg white to almond flour when making macarons. If you look at a carton of eggs, the egg size can vary quite a bit in each carton. For that reason, this recipe uses a digital scale to measure the ingredients for the macarons.
- One of the keys to making a great macaron is using finely ground almond flour. If your almond flour has coarse pieces of almonds in it, you can use a food processor (a mini one if you have it) to grind the flour so it’s finer. I’ll often use a mesh strainer to strain out unwanted pieces of almonds.
- You want to whip your egg whites (mixed with the sugar) until they form stiff peaks. To test to see if the egg whites are ready, whip until the tip of the peak doesn’t fold over when you pull the beater out of the (meringue) beaten egg whites.
- Use a spatula to gently fold in the almond flour/cocoa mixture. Add half of the mixture at a time so it’s easier to mix in. Then stop folding when the mixture is a smooth, thick, glossy batter that slowly drips off the spatula back into the bowl when you scoop it up. Don’t over mix or your macarons will flatten and you won’t get the classic macaron foot. To test and see if your batter is mixed to the perfect stage, put a spoonful on a plate. If it slowly flattens out it’s perfect. If it just stays in a blob, give it a few more folds. Here’s a great macaron batter video that shows the proper consistency.
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Piping Macarons
Since a macaron is like a sandwich cookie, you pair up a top and a bottom, it’s important that they’re all a similar size. I like to put a macaron template underneath my parchment paper, so it makes it easy to pipe them the same size.
Another tip is to put the piping bag in a tall glass or pitcher. That way you don’t have to hold the bag while you’re filling it. Fold the top of the bag over the top of the glass/small pitcher so it stays open and in place while you fill it. I bought a small pitcher at IKEA that works great. The video in my How To Make Eclairs Post shows you how to use the templates, as well as the pitcher I use.
You’ll use a ½ inch tip to pipe the macarons, an Ateco Size 806 or Wilton 1A. You don’t need to use a coupler, you can just put the tip in the bag. I like to use disposable pastry bags.
Piping the shells is not difficult, but in a pinch, you could use a cookie scoop to portion the batter onto the parchment paper.
I made these amazing chocolate caramel macarons to celebrate Macaron Day, March 20, a few years ago, and they’ve become my favorite macaron. The combination of chocolate, caramel, and coconut is irresistible and everyone loves them and are so impressed with these fancy little treats.
I hope you’ll give my Samoa Chocolate Macarons a try! I’m sure you’ll love them too.
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Samoa Macarons
Equipment
Ingredients
Macarons
- 100 grams powdered sugar
- 50 grams almond meal/flour
- 20 grams unsweetened Dutch-process cocoa powder sifted
- 60 grams egg whites at room temperature
- 40 grams granulated sugar
Coconut Caramel Filling
- ¾ cup shredded sweetened coconut
- 20 chewy caramels unwrapped
- 1 tablespoon milk
- dash of salt
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 310º. Prepare a baking pan by lining it with parchment paper. Prepare a pastry bag by fitting it with a ½-inch plain tip.
- Combine the powdered sugar, cocoa powder and almond meal.
- With an electric mixer, beat the egg whites until they’re foamy. Gradually beat in the granulated sugar and continue beating until egg whites form stiff peaks.
- Using a rubber spatula, gently fold the dry ingredients into the egg whites in two batches. Stop folding when the mixture is a smooth, thick, glossy batter that slowly drips off the spatula back into the bowl when you scoop it up. Don't over mix.
- Spoon the batter in to the prepared pastry bag. Pipe the batter on to the prepared baking sheet in evenly spaced 1-inch circles (about 1 tablespoon of batter).
- Holding the baking sheet in both hands, tap the baking sheet on the counter a few times to flatten the macarons. Leave out, uncovered for 15 minutes, then bake them for 15-20 minutes. Give the macs a gentle little shake with the tip of your finger to see if they’re done. You want them set but not firm. It’s better to undercook them a little so they are a bit chewy and not crisp.
- Let cool completely then remove from baking sheet.
- Coconut Caramel Filling
- Preheat oven to 300º. Spread coconut evenly on a parchment-lined rimmed baking sheet and toast 10 - 20 minutes, stirring every 5 minutes, until coconut is golden. Cool on baking sheet, stirring occasionally. Set aside.
- Put the unwrapped caramels, milk and salt in a large microwave-safe bowl and cook on high for 1-2 minutes, stirring every 30 seconds. When smooth, fold in toasted coconut with a spatula.
- Using two teaspoons coated in cooking spray, drop a rounded teaspoon of filling on to a macaron shell and gently sandwich another shell on top..
Nutrition
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Chocolate macarons filled with chocolate and caramel.
Audra@The-Baker-Chick
I absolutely love these Barbara! I’m so excited to try them as I’ve just started have macaron success AND Samoa’s are my favorite. Thanks for sharing!
PS- Did you draw on your own piping template?
Barbara
Thanks Audra! No I found the template online. It’s such a fun design but the link quit working and I was glad I had saved it as a pdf.
Nicole, RD
I didn’t know it was possible to take macaroons to THIS level. Oh my yum.
Deb
Samoa Macarons! What a sumptuous filling for your fantastic macs. They are irresistible!
natalie (the sweets life)
i can’t think of a more perfect macaron flavor!!
Rocky Mountain Woman
Those look amazing! I’m picking up my girl scout cookie order from my granddaughter tonight. I wish I had time to make some of these for her before I leave!
Angie@Angie's Recipes
These macarons look PERFECT with terrific coconut filling!
Lora
These are gorgeous! How creative to convert samoa cookies to macarons. Love it.
Clarissa
Oh my gosh, thanks so much for posting this!! I just made chocolate macarons and had some leftover shells, now I know what to do with them!! Plus, I bought Samoa ice cream, with literraly 3 samoas all together in it, so disappointments. So now I have an idea for macaron filling and ice cream topping!!
Lindsey Johnson (Cafe Johnsonia)
Barbara! They’re gorgeous! I love anything with coconut, caramel and chocolate. I have to try these! My birthday is on March 20th, so maybe I’ll make macs instead of a cake this year. 🙂
Javelin Warrior
What a creative and beautiful way to change-up the traditional macaron! I love the contrast between the samoa filling and chocolate caps – so tempting… I am featuring this post in today’s Friday Food Fetish roundup (with a link-back and attribution), so please let me know if you have any objections. It’s always a pleasure following your food…
Mardi@eatlivetravelwrite
GORGEOUS!!!!! I love the flavours Barbara!
Valérie ( France )
Super
Je te souhaite un beau vendredi
Valérie.
Sarah
Wow, they look perfect! And the combination of caramel and coconut sounds very interesting!
Jessica
Wow, that’s a unique macarons, they looks sooo delicious. It makes me hungry just looking at it..
Thanks for sharing the recipe! I never make it before! I can’t wait to try to make it at home!
cindy
Barbara these macarons look delicious. I have yet to make a macaron. I need to try!
Nina
Oh these look delicious….YUMMMMMMMY:)
Mercedes
You make it look so easy! I have had wins and losses with macarons and yours look simply perfect and mouthwatering!
My Inner Chick
B E A U T I F U L.
Ohhh, MYyyy. x
Ambika
Such beautiful macs!! Love the filling recipe!
gloria
Thyese macarons are absolutely amazing!