Last September two of our dearest friends got hitched. In lieu of a gift, they asked me to make the favors for the wedding.
Two silver macarons with lavender filling in a silver bag for each guest.
Tasked with making about 160 macarons, I started the shells the weeks before, freezing them. I had never made so many before and it became quite an ongoing production with baking during the week in the city and on the weekends before in the country, carefully shlepping the shells between them.
For the silver color I made it easy on myself and just sprayed them with silver color mist rather than painstakingly painting them with silver dust. This worked out perfectly. However, I found if I sprayed on the color too densely, it destabilized the shell.
I whipped up a huge batch of lavender buttercream, filled the macarons and placed them in layers with baking paper in between layers in the large emptied vegetable crispers in my fridge. The ones made the week before were sitting in the freezer.
The silver bags were ordered online and worked out perfectly. I wanted to further decorate the macarons themselves by stenciling the initials of the couple on the shell but I just ran out of time.
No matter, they were a big hit and tasted great.
The wedding itself was wonderful. Since Gay marriage is not legal in Pennsylvania, the grooms went over the border to New York State for the ceremony. The rest of us watched back at the reception at their house via Skype.
It was an exciting moment when the boys arrived by limo legally bound after 25 years together.
What followed was a great party filled with love, laughter and best wishes.
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| Dr. B contemplating the wedding cake and me blissing out on the dance floor. |
The perfect wedding.
- 90 grams egg whites – aged at least 2 days. Let them sit out on the counter uncovered.
- 25-50 grams of fine granulated sugar
- 200 grams of powdered sugar (minus 2 tablespoons)
- 110 Grams of almond flour*
- Silver Color Mist Edible Spray
- Sift the powdered sugar and almond flour together or pulse them together briefly in a food processor. Make sure there are no large pieces.
- Whip the egg whites. When they start to get foamy, slowly add the sugar. Continue whipping until you can turn the bowl upside down and nothing slides out. (I also add a pinch each of salt and cream of tartar)
- Add the powdered sugar/almond mixture to the egg white mixture and fold, using quick strokes at first then slow down. No more than 50 strokes all together. The batter should have a “flowing like lava” consistency.
- Fill two Pastry bags and pipe circles onto a baking sheet lined with parchment paper or on a Silpat.
- Let the macarons dry for about one hour until they harden.
- Preheat oven to 300 degrees F
- Bake for 18-20 minutes.
- I keep the oven door propped open with a dish towel or wooden spoon. Try to refrain from obsessive peeping to see if they get feet.
- Let cool completely and then spray with the silver color mist and when dry, match up the shells into pairs according to size.
- 1 stick butter room temperature
- 1/8 cup milk
- 2-3 cups powdered sugar
- 1 teaspoon lavender extract
- 1/4 cup dried lavender
- Beat the butter, extract and milk with one cup of the powdered sugar.
- Add the remaining powdered sugar one cup at a time.
- Stir in the dried lavender
- Spoon the frosting in to a pastry bag fitted with a round tip. Stand it up in a tall glass and fill the bag.
- Pipe the filling onto one macaron shell and sandwich together with the other.
9 comments
Lucky friends. That is a lot of work, and I bet they just loved them, they are so elegant looking. I'd don't think I've ever tried lavender buttercream, something to add to my want to try list.
-Gina-
Its all so fantastic!! The macarons.. amazing! that you made 160 of them even more so. They look beautiful and I love the sounds of lavender buttercream. Its so great that you could all be there via skype!
Ooo so pretty! I might have to make these for a friend's bridal shower that's coming up!
These are so amazing! Lovely.
Won't it be nice when gay marriage is legal everywhere? One of my dad's coworkers recently got married in New York, as well. Of course, the reception had to be a bit later because it was in Oklahoma!
Lora, what yummy creations! Such care to details and deliciousness. Beautiful to be able to see, as I'd heard about them…mmHmm…their yumminess & beauty have been talked about with great fondness. Now, I know (and see) why.
These look so awesome – the silver looks just incredible! I have to say though, the picture of the grooms is stealing the show for me – they look so crazy happy 🙂
You are awesome! These macs are beautiful. Quite a big project but if anyone could pull it off, you could and you did.
How neat to watch your friends get married via Skype. Not as good as being there in person but at least you were all together to celebrate at the reception.
You look like you have some pretty cool dance floor moves lady!!! 🙂 Great pics of the party.
These little treats are so amazing. Beautiful looking macaroons:)
Silver is so fitting, as they have been together 25 years. What a happy day, and how lucky you are their friend. Beautiful.