In a small saucepan, heat the heavy cream on low, keeping a close eye on it to prevent boiling. Once it begins to simmer, immediately pour the cream over the chocolate drops. Let it sit for 1 minute, then vigorously stir with a spatula until fully incorporated. Add the butter and mix until smooth. Place the mixture in the fridge to cool and firm up for 1-2 hours before piping.-min-scaled.jpg?x81849)
Melt the sugar in a pan over medium heat until it reaches a rich caramel color. Once it does, quickly add the cream and stir until the mixture becomes smooth again. Add the butter and continue stirring until fully combined. Let the mixture cool before using.-scaled.jpg?x81849)
Sift together the almond flour, powdered sugar, and cocoa powder to remove any large pieces.
In a separate bowl, whip the egg whites on low speed until foamy, then add the cream of tartar. As the egg whites start to form tracks and the foam bubbles reduce in size, gradually add the granulated sugar in thirds while continuing to whip. Increase the speed to medium. Once all the sugar is fully incorporated, continue whipping until the meringue reaches the soft peaks stage. At this stage, the peaks should be soft and fall back onto themselves when the beaters are pulled out.
Continue whipping until stiff peaks form. You can test by flipping the bowl; the meringue should stay in place.-min-scaled.jpg?x81849)
Pour one-third of the almond mixture into the egg whites. Gently fold the dry ingredients into the egg whites, then add the remaining dry ingredients in thirds. Be careful not to mix or stir.
Stop folding once the batter reaches a honey-like consistency. To check, lift some batter with your spatula; it should flow in a ribbon-like pattern and form a "figure-8" when drizzled. Stop folding immediately once this consistency is achieved.
On parchment paper or silicone mats, pipe the batter to the size of the circles on your template.
Tap the tray several times on the counter to remove excess bubbles. Before the batter dries, pop any remaining bubbles with a toothpick if needed.
Let the piped macarons rest on the counter for 30 minutes, or until a “skin” has developed on the surface. This will prevent the shells from cracking during baking.
Preheat the oven to 125°C. Place the tray on the middle shelf and bake for 12-14 minutes. Bake only one tray at a time.
Remove the macarons from the oven and test for doneness. The feet should not push back, and the shell should not be wobbly. Let them cool on the pan.
Fill the macarons with chocolate ganache and salted caramel.
Store the macarons in an airtight container in the fridge and let them mature for 24 hours before serving.