How To Freeze Macarons Tips And Tricks For Storing
How to freeze macarons can be a simple and easy process while enjoying a delicious dessert!
French macarons are a delightful dessert that has gained popularity worldwide for their delicate texture and exquisite taste.
These almond-based confections consist of two meringue-based shells with a delicious filling sandwiched between them. Meringue is made from properly beaten egg whites.
Though this delicious French pastry might appear dainty and fragile, with a bit of know-how, you can successfully freeze macarons to enjoy them at a later date.
To maintain their freshness and quality over time, it’s essential to understand the proper freezing process for these intricate sweet treats.
First, you will have to choose between your most favorite fillings or best fillings.
Then, make sure to store macarons in either an air-tight container, freezer bag, plastic bags, ziplock bags, storage container, or plastic airtight container.
Every step is crucial in ensuring that your macarons retain their delightful texture and flavor.
Here’s the scoop on how to keep frozen macarons delicious. Whether you are working with filled or unfilled shells, so that you can indulge in these delectable treats at your leisure.
Preparing and Freezing Macarons
Cooling Macarons Properly
Before freezing your macarons, it’s essential to let them cool properly so that there is not much moisture leftover.
After baking, allow the macaron shells to cool completely on the baking sheet before attempting to remove them.
If you don’t let them cool thoroughly, the shells may be too fragile and will break or stick to the parchment paper.
Once cooled, you can pair the shells together to match their sizes and shapes.
Choosing the Right Filling
When preparing to freeze macarons, consider the type of filling you will use.
Some fillings, like buttercream macaron and ganache macaron, are more freezer-friendly than others, such as whipped cream.
Buttercream and chocolate ganache fillings can withstand freezing temperatures. Without compromising the macaron’s texture or creamy flavors.
There are a variety of filling options and a variety of flavors available. Which includes chocolate ganache, buttercream filling, white chocolate buttercream, as well as fruity flavors like lemon curd.
Vegan macarons are also an option with almond flour and substitutions of dairy products in the recipe.
Avoid using delicate fillings like whipped cream or custard. As they may not freeze well and could alter the macaron’s taste and structure.
Top Tips to Avoiding Overfilling
When filling your macaron shells, be careful not to overfill them. Overfilled macarons may become too soggy or difficult to eat after freezing and thawing.
Instead, aim to add enough filling so that it reaches the edges of the shells without overflowing.
This will help maintain the macaron’s shape and ensure a balanced ratio of shell to filling.
The best way to avoid overfilling is to use the piping bag method. Which helps to portion out the filling so that only a single layer or just the right amount of filling is on the macaron.
Sometimes thin meringue cookies and caramel sauce are served along with macarons as well.
To properly prepare macarons for freezing, ensure you cool them well. Choose a suitable filling such as buttercream or ganache and avoid overfilling them.
Good news! After following these steps, your macarons will be ready for storage in an airtight container or freezer bag. They can be enjoyed later with minimal changes to their texture or taste.
Storing Macarons for Freezing
Selecting an Airtight Container
Choosing the right container is crucial for keeping your macarons fresh in the freezer.
The best thing is to opt for shallow Tupperware containers specifically designed for pasta sheets or sandwiches.
An airtight freezer-safe container is a great way to maintain shape and prevent any damage to delicate macarons while you store them.
To add an extra layer of security, you could also use plastic wrap or cling film to cover the macarons when stored in the freezer.
Ensure that it is an airtight plastic container that has a seal to keep out moisture, preserve the texture of your macarons, and prevent freezer burn.
Layering Macarons with Parchment Paper
To prevent macarons from sticking together or getting crushed while they are stored in the freezer, follow these simple steps:
- Line the bottom of your airtight container with a prepared baking sheet, piece of parchment paper, or wax paper.
- Place the macarons in a single layer on the parchment paper. Allowing for enough space between each one to prevent them from touching.
- Place another sheet of parchment paper on top of the layer of macarons.
- A great option is if you have more macarons to store, repeat the process by adding additional layers of parchment paper and macarons.
Using parchment paper between the layers will protect the macarons from getting compressed and maintain their integrity.
Labeling and Dating Freezer Bags
Once your filled macarons are properly stored inside the best place, which is in an airtight container with parchment paper layers, it’s important to label and date the freezer bags or containers.
This will help you keep track of how long the macarons have been stored in your freezer.
You can use a permanent marker to write the date of storage and any relevant information about the macarons. Such as the type of filling or flavor for later use.
This will ensure that the next time you consume them, you will know if it was within the recommended time frame. It will also help you identify the macarons when needed.
A huge difference between labeling your unfilled and filled macarons is that there will be less information required for the unfilled ones since not as many ingredients were used.
Freezing Filled and Unfilled Macarons
When it comes to preserving macarons, freezing is an excellent method, whether they are filled shells, unfilled shells, or outer shells.
Here are some methods to ensure your macarons remain delicious and ready to serve.
Freezing Unfilled Macaron Shells Separately
- Cool the macaron shells: Make sure your baked macaron shells have cooled down to room temperature or ambient temperature before you proceed.
- Prepare an airtight container: Choose a freezer-safe container for storing your unfilled macaron shells. If you’re stacking multiple layers, add parchment paper between each layer to prevent the shells from sticking together.
- Seal and freeze: Close the container tightly, and place it in the freezer. Unfilled macaron shells have a shelf stable of approximately 3 months when properly stored.
When you’re ready to serve them, thaw unfilled macaron shells in the fridge for a few hours.
Remember not to remove them from the container during thawing to avoid condensation on the macarons.
Freezing Filled Macarons
- Choose freezable macaron fillings: Some fillings may not freeze well or release too much moisture upon thawing. Ensure your chosen filling is suitable for freezing.
- Fill the macarons: Once your macaron shells have cooled down to room temperature, assemble them with your desired filling.
- Mature the macarons: Allow the filled macarons to mature for 12-24 hours, depending on the specifics of your chosen filling.
- Freeze in an airtight container: Place the filled macarons in a freezer-safe container, using parchment paper between layers to prevent sticking. Filled macarons have a shelf life and can last up to 3 months in the freezer.
To serve the filled macaroons, thaw them in the fridge for at least 2-4 hours. Again, do not remove them from the container until they’re fully thawed.
This will prevent moisture from forming on the macarons, ensuring that their original texture and the flavor of the macaron remains intact.
Defrosting and Serving Macarons
Thawing Process for Macarons at Room Temperature
To thaw macarons, take them out of the freezer and let them slowly and gently thaw at room temperature for about 30 minutes.
This ensures that their delicate texture remains intact.
Keeping macarons in their airtight container or ziplock bag is essential as they thaw, to prevent any moisture from harming them.
After 30 minutes, unwrap the macarons and let them sit at room temperature for another 10-15 minutes to fully defrost.
This step is crucial as it allows the filling to soften and ensures a perfect macaron eating experience.
Assembling and Decorating Macarons
If you have stored unfilled macaron shells, you can now assemble and decorate them as desired.
To do so, fill your macaron shells with your choice of filling, such as buttercream or ganache, and gently sandwich them together.
For decorating your macarons, you can choose from a variety of options to make them even more visually appealing. Here are some ideas:
- Use an edible marker to draw patterns or write messages on the macaron shells.
- Add sprinkles or shimmer powder to the edges of the filling for a pop of color and sparkle.
- Make small fondant decorations and attach them to the top of the macaron shells with a dab of royal icing.
Whether you have made your own macarons or opted for store-bought ones, following these steps to thaw, assemble, and decorate them will ensure a delicious, impressive, and memorable treat.
Avoiding Common Freezing Issues
Preventing Freezer Burn
To avoid freezer burn when freezing your macarons, always use an airtight container or a double layer of plastic wrap.
Make sure there’s no air circulation in the container, as this can lead to unwanted frost.
It’s also essential to let your macarons cool completely before placing them in the freezer.
Freezing macarons individually can help keep them in optimal condition.
Minimizing Moisture and Sogginess
Moisture is one of the main reasons why macarons become soggy after freezing. To minimize moisture, follow these tips:
- When making your filling, avoid using whipped cream or any filling with high moisture content. Opt for more stable fillings, such as white chocolate ganache.
- Depending on the moisture level in the filling, it is a great idea that fully assembled macarons should be refrigerated for 2-4 days
- Store unfilled macaron shells and filing separately, and only fill the macarons when you’re ready to serve them.
- Defrost the macarons at room temperature, and ensure they are not exposed to humidity, direct sunlight or other moisture sources.
Reducing Breakage and Cracks
Macarons are delicate and can crack or break easily while freezing or unfreezing them. To reduce breakage and cracks, consider the following tips:
- Use a well-structured filling to provide stability and reduce the chance of breaks or cracks in the shell.
- Properly layer your macarons in the airtight container, making sure they don’t touch or press against each other.
- When freezing filled macarons, add an extra layer of protection by using clamshells or slider boxes, and then wrap them in plastic wrap or use an airtight container.
- Defrost the macarons gradually in cold temperatures by slowly moving them from the freezer to the refrigerator before bringing them to room temperature. This allows the macarons to reabsorb moisture and maintain their structure.
Tips and Tricks for Freezing Macarons
When it comes to freezing macarons, there are several different ways for tips, and tricks for you to utilize and ensure they maintain their deliciousness as well as perfect texture.
First, make sure your macarons have completely cooled down before freezing.
An easy way to speed up the cooling process, you can transfer them to a cooling rack or place them near an open window or a fan.
When your macarons have cooled down, it’s time to properly store them for freezing.
Arrange them in a good place inside your freezer with a single layer inside an airtight storage container.
Single-layer storage prevents your delicate meringue cookies from breaking or sticking to each other while in the freezer.
Additionally, you can place a piece of parchment paper or wax paper between layers of macarons if you intend to stack them.
Fillings
When choosing a suitable filling for freezing macarons, it’s essential that you opt for one that freezes well. Some ideal options include ganache, buttercream, and salted caramel.
However, fillings like jelly or jams are best used just before serving, as they do not freeze well.
A great thing to keep your macarons fresh is that you can also wrap them individually using cling film or plastic wrap before placing them in the airtight container.
This extra layer of protection helps preserve their taste and texture during the freezing process.
Remember to label your container with the freeze date.
This will help track how long your macarons have been stored, ensuring their best possible taste when it’s time to enjoy them.
When defrosting your macarons, it’s crucial to let them slowly come to room temperature.
Remove the container from the freezer and let them rest for about 30 minutes before unwrapping.
Doing so allows the macarons to regain their desired consistency while still maintaining their flavor.
Finally, never store your macarons in the fridge.
The humidity found in refrigerators can adversely affect the texture of the meringue and the overall quality of your macarons.
Occasions for Serving Frozen Macarons
When planning a special event or celebration, you may want to serve homemade macarons as a colorful and delicious dessert option.
These delicate French confections can be finicky to make but they can be prepared ahead of time by freezing, ensuring you have a fresh and beautiful dessert ready to serve to your guests.
To begin, bake your macarons with extra care and attention to detail, as they can be sensitive to temperature and humidity.
Once baked, allow them to cool completely before decorating with your desired colors or patterns.
Assembling the macarons with their fillings and decorations should be done ahead of time.
Keeping in mind that a fully assembled macaron usually stays fresh for 2-4 days after they are made, while the shells alone can stay fresh for 4-6 days.
Homemade Macarons
To freeze your homemade macarons, place them in a single layer on a baking sheet and freeze for about an hour to prevent them from sticking together.
Once they are frozen, transfer them to a shallow airtight container or a freezer bag, ensuring they are well-sealed to preserve freshness.
Now as home bakers, you have the ability to prepare fresh macarons and delicious macarons to store for later use.
On the day of your special events or special occasions, like a baby shower, remove your batch of macarons from the freezer and place them in the refrigerator for a few hours or overnight.
This will help thaw them completely before serving them to your guests.
If you do not have time to bake any, it is also okay to use store-bought macarons as well.
As you prepare your dessert table, arrange your whole macarons in an attractive display that showcases their intricate decorations and vibrant colors.
If it is a hot day, make sure to display your macarons with an ice pack to keep them cool and maintain their shape.
As a little party favor, it will be a good idea for you to place them in macaron boxes or gift boxes for your guests to take home.
By taking advantage of freezing and proper storage techniques, you can confidently serve homemade macarons at your next celebration, knowing that they will appear and taste just as fresh as if they were baked the same day.
Final Thoughts
When it comes to freezing macarons, Miss Macaroon recommends the best option for preserving their freshness and quality.
Freezing macarons is an excellent way to extend their shelf life and enjoy them at a later time.
To freeze macarons, it is crucial to place them in an airtight container or freezer-safe bag, ensuring they are well-protected from moisture and odors.
By following Miss Macaroon’s recommendation, you can confidently freeze your macarons and preserve their delicate texture and flavors.
Making it the best option for enjoying these delightful treats whenever you desire.
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