Macaron Travel Tower Recipe
Forty-five assorted macarons in a 5-tier pink plastic display with a cord handle and pink protective sleeve
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Ingredients
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Almond Macaron Shells (makes ~45 shells / 22–24 finished macarons)
Fillings (for 45 assembled macarons — 5 flavors)
Assembly & Decoration
Method
Almond Macaron Shells (piping & baking)
- 1
Prep dry ingredients
Sift the powdered sugar and finely ground almond flour together twice into a large bowl to remove any lumps. Discard any coarse bits left in the sifter. This ensures a smooth macaron surface.
- 2
Age egg whites
If you haven't already, separate 5 egg whites at least 24 hours before and leave them covered at room temperature (or use fresh whites and let them sit at room temp for 30–60 minutes). This helps whip to a more stable meringue.
- 3
Make Italian meringue
Place the 110 g granulated sugar and 40 ml water in a small heavy saucepan. Bring to a boil and cook to 118–120°C (244–248°F). Meanwhile, start whipping the egg whites with 1 tsp cream of tartar and 1 tsp salt on medium-high speed until soft peaks form. When the sugar syrup reaches 118–120°C, slowly pour it in a thin stream into the whipped whites while continuing to whip. Increase speed and whip until glossy, stiff peaks form and the meringue has cooled to near room temperature (about 5–8 minutes).
- 4
Color meringue
Divide the meringue into 5 portions (roughly equal). Add a small amount of gel food coloring to each portion to create 5 different colors (e.g., pink, pistachio green, lemon yellow, chocolate brown, raspberry). Fold gently to combine — avoid deflating the meringue.
- 5
Macaronage (folding in dry ingredients)
Divide the sifted almond/powdered sugar mixture into 5 bowls to match your meringue portions. For each color: pour the dry mix into the colored meringue and fold using a spatula. Use a figure-8 motion, scraping the bowl, until batter flows in a thick ribbon and falls back on itself — it should be glossy, lava-like and able to form a short peak when dropped. Test by dropping a dollop: it should settle within 10–15 seconds.
- 6
Pipe shells
Transfer each colored batter to a prepared piping bag fitted with a 3–5 mm round tip. On silicone mats or parchment-lined baking sheets, pipe uniform 3.5–4 cm (about 1.5 inch) discs spaced 2.5–3 cm apart to yield ~90 discs (for 45 sandwiches) across batches. Tap the tray firmly on the counter twice to release air bubbles. If large bubbles remain, pop them with a toothpick.
- 7
Dry shells (forming skins)
Let the piped shells sit at room temperature until a skin forms on the surface — 20–60 minutes depending on humidity. When you can lightly touch the surface without batter sticking to your finger, they are ready to bake.
- 8
Bake
Preheat oven to 150°C (300°F). Bake one sheet at a time for 12–16 minutes depending on size and oven; rotate halfway if necessary. The shells should have smooth tops and characteristic 'feet' (the ruffled edge). Allow them to cool completely on the tray before removing; this prevents tearing.
Fillings (prepare 5 flavors enough for 45 macarons)
- 9
Vanilla buttercream (for ~9 macarons)
In a bowl, beat 140 g room-temperature butter until smooth. Gradually add 200 g confectioners' sugar and 1 tsp vanilla bean paste, then 40 ml heavy cream to loosen. Beat until light and fluffy. Transfer to a piping bag.
- 10
Chocolate ganache (for ~9 macarons)
Heat 60 ml heavy cream just to a simmer and pour over 100 g chopped bittersweet chocolate in a heatproof bowl. Let sit 1–2 minutes, then whisk until smooth. Stir in 20 g room-temperature butter to add shine and pipeability. Chill until pipeable but still soft, then transfer to a piping bag.
- 11
Raspberry buttercream (for ~9 macarons)
Beat 70 g room-temperature butter until smooth. Add 100 g confectioners' sugar and 30 g pulverized freeze-dried raspberries (sift to remove lumps). Add 1–2 tsp heavy cream if needed to reach a spreadable consistency. Beat until light and transfer to a piping bag.
- 12
Lemon curd filling (for ~9 macarons)
If using store-bought lemon curd, spoon it into a piping bag. If making quick curd: whisk 3 eggs, 100 g sugar, 60 ml lemon juice and 20 g butter in a saucepan over low heat until thickened, cool completely before using. Keep chilled until assembly.
- 13
Salted caramel + matcha half-fill (for ~9 macarons)
For salted caramel centers: ensure caramel sauce is thick enough to hold but still pipeable; if too runny, simmer gently to reduce. For matcha buttercream: sift 10 g matcha into 40 g confectioners' sugar and add to 70 g butter; beat until smooth and fluffy. Place caramel and matcha buttercream in separate piping bags for variety (you can sandwich caramel to matcha or caramel to plain shell as desired).
Assembly & Storage
- 14
Match shells by size
Sort cooled shells into pairs of similar size and color. Aim for 45 paired sandwiches total (90 shells).
- 15
Pipe fillings and assemble
Pipe about 10–12 grams of filling onto the flat side of one shell and gently press a matching shell on top to spread the filling to the edge. Avoid overfilling to prevent filling oozing. Use different flavors/colors to create an assorted tower: distribute the 5 flavors evenly so you have roughly 9 of each flavor (total 45 macarons).
- 16
Mature (optional, recommended)
For best flavor and texture, place assembled macarons in an airtight container in the refrigerator for 24 hours to 'mature' — this allows moisture exchange and yields chewier interiors. Bring to room temperature 30–60 minutes before serving.
- 17
Pack into travel tower
Line the tiers of the 5-tier travel tower with a small square of parchment if desired. Arrange macarons standing up or lying flat in each tier, alternating colors for visual appeal. Ensure they are snug but not squashed. Slide on protective sleeve and attach cord handle for transport. Keep chilled until departure and keep out of direct heat or sun.
- 18
Shelf life
Stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator, macarons will keep well for up to 5–7 days. For longer storage, freeze in a single layer on a tray until firm, then transfer to a freezer-safe container for up to 1 month. Thaw in the refrigerator before bringing to room temperature.