Anyone who’s eaten macarons before would attest that this French confectionery is an absolute delight. Not only are they beautiful to look at, but they also taste so good, thanks to the several ingredients and filling mixed to create something as beautiful as this.
You can serve this sweet at any occasion, from a small gathering with friends to a large party – you can also enjoy this as a dessert in your home.
Unfortunately, like most confectionaries, macarons don’t last long, especially if it’s kept at room temperature for a long time. And you wouldn’t want these beauties to get spoiled just after you’ve spent so much time putting them together.
Storing Your Macarons
After baking your macarons, you should leave them to cool on the pan before touching them. If you don’t, they will crack or become too soft – two things you don’t want happening to your cookies. Then, you can go proceed and fill them before storing them.
Once you’ve done all that, here are some ways you can preserve the shelf life of your macarons.
Store in Airtight Containers
Airtight containers are one of the best places to keep your macarons because they stop air or moisture from reaching the cookies. However, before you place macarons inside these containers, ensure that you’ve cleaned them and that they don’t contain any moisture.
To avoid these macarons from touching each other in the container, lay parchment paper in the bowl and carefully set the cookies on this paper in one layer. Seal it shut with the lid, ensuring no air can wiggle its way into the container. Then, you can keep the container in a cool place to ward off both sun and heat.
Use Macaron Boxes
This is by far one of the most common ways to store macarons, and for various reasons. Not only will a macaron box keep macarons fresh for a long time, but it’s also great for transporting these baked goodies from one place to another. These boxes are strong; depending on their sizes, you can fit in as many macarons as you want. If you also want to package macarons as a gift to someone, then macaron boxes will come in handy.
Keep in the Fridge
This is a no-brainer – there’s nothing you can’t store in a refrigerator, including macarons. If you don’t plan on eating all the cookies in a day, you should consider storing them in the fridge. You can do that after placing these cookies in an airtight container. Storing macarons in a refrigerator will make them edible for about three more days after baking them. Anything longer than that, and they might get soft.
If you’re ready to eat the stored macarons, ensure you take them out of the refrigerator about 20 mins before eating. This will warm it back up, as macarons taste better at room temperature.
Keep in the Freezer
If you’re aiming for more than three days, you should consider keeping macarons in the freezer instead of the refrigerator. Freezing them will keep them tasty for up to three months.
An airtight container will also come in handy here, but instead of placing a single layer of parchment paper in them, you should use about two or three. You can also cover up the macarons on top with extra layers of parchment paper and even aluminum foil before sealing them up with the lid. This will guarantee that the cookies don’t get exposed to dry air in the machine. Take them out 30mins before seven to defrost them.
Conclusion
Macarons are delicious, and it’ll be a shame to see them waste away. To prevent this from happening, use any of the steps above to preserve them.