Description
This festive Macaron Wreath recipe creates beautifully delicate and colorful holiday treats that are perfect for celebrations and gifting. Featuring crisp meringue shells with a rich, creamy buttercream filling, these wreaths are decorated with festive sprinkles, edible beads, and mini bows to bring charm and elegance to your holiday table.
Ingredients
Scale
Macaron Shells
- 90 g egg whites (aged overnight if possible)
- 1/4 tsp cream of tartar
- 75 g granulated sugar
- Green gel food coloring (as needed)
- 200 g powdered sugar
- 120 g almond flour
Buttercream Filling
- 1/2 cup unsalted butter, softened
- 1 1/2 cups powdered sugar
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 1–2 tbsp milk (as needed for consistency)
Decoration
- Red sprinkles
- Edible gold beads
- Mini bows or festive toppings
Instructions
- Prepare Baking Sheets: Line two baking sheets with parchment paper or silicone mats and trace wreath guides if you want perfectly shaped wreaths.
- Sift Dry Ingredients: Sift together the almond flour and powdered sugar to remove any large bits, ensuring a smooth macaron batter.
- Make Meringue: Beat the egg whites until soft peaks form. Add the cream of tartar and then gradually add granulated sugar, whipping until stiff, glossy peaks form. Add green gel food coloring and mix gently to achieve an even color.
- Combine Batter: Fold the dry ingredients into the meringue in three parts. Mix gently until the batter flows like lava and creates ribbons when lifted.
- Pipe Shapes: Pipe small circles in a wreath shape on the prepared baking sheets. Tap the sheets to remove air bubbles and pop any remaining bubbles with a toothpick to ensure smooth shells.
- Rest Batter: Let the piped macarons rest for 30 to 60 minutes or until the tops are dry to the touch, which helps form a skin for proper baking.
- Bake Macarons: Bake in a preheated oven at 300°F (150°C) for 15 to 17 minutes. Allow to cool completely before removing from the baking sheets.
- Prepare Buttercream: Beat softened butter until creamy. Add powdered sugar, vanilla extract, and milk as needed to achieve a smooth, spreadable filling consistency.
- Assemble Wreaths: Pair the macaron shells by similar size, pipe buttercream filling between each pair, and arrange them in a wreath shape on a serving platter.
- Decorate: Garnish the macaron wreaths with red sprinkles, edible gold beads, mini bows, or any festive decorations you prefer to enhance their holiday appeal.
Notes
- For best macaron results, age egg whites overnight in the refrigerator to improve meringue stability.
- Use gel food coloring as liquid coloring can affect batter consistency.
- Ensure the macaron shells rest until dry to prevent cracking during baking.
- Let the macarons cool completely before handling to avoid breaking the delicate shells.
- Buttercream filling can be customized with different flavors by adding extracts or zest.
- Store macarons in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days for optimal freshness.
