Chocolate Macaroons with Salted Caramel Filling

Chocolate pairs very well with many things, like peanut butter, strawberries and caramel - and nothing pairs better with caramel than salt.  To play up this complimentary duo, I created chocolate macaroons with salted caramel filling.   I apologize for all of the macaroons! I was working on a project where I was experimenting with various types, not to mention perfecting this finicky cookie.  Nonetheless, the combination of the chewy chocolate macaroon shell and the salty caramel sauce that slowly drizzled down while you ate it was absolute perfection.  

A Few Things: This caramel sauce recipe did not call for salt, but I added it in at the end once it was removed from the stove top.  I added about one teaspoon of sea salt, but you could definitely add more or less depending on the ratio of salt to sweet that you prefer.  This sauce is also excellent drizzled atop vanilla ice cream or quite frankly eaten by the spoonful out of the jar.  It would even be a great gift if nicely pacakaged in a mason jar.  If you don't feel like attempting the macaroons definitely try this sauce, you will be anything but disappointed.  

*All photographs by Alison