Strawberry and Sparkling Wine Macarons

Published October 1, 2021 · Updated September 9, 2026

These strawberry and sparkling-wine macarons use a concentrated freeze-dried strawberry buttercream. It delivers berry flavor without the excess water and short shelf life created by raw strawberry purée.

Ingredients

Italian macaron shells

• 115 g finely ground blanched almond flour
• 115 g powdered sugar
• 115 g granulated sugar
• 30 g water
• 50 g egg whites for the Italian meringue
• 40 g egg whites for the almond paste
• Light-pink concentrated gel or powdered food color, optional

Optional: edible white nonpareils. Confirm that the package identifies them as edible and suitable for baking.

Strawberry sparkling-wine buttercream

This filling adapts King Arthur’s freeze-dried strawberry buttercream; Wilton’s sparkling-wine variation supports substituting sparkling wine for the usual milk.

• 113 g unsalted butter, softened
• 113 g powdered sugar, sifted
• 14 g freeze-dried strawberries, ground to a fine powder
• 14 g sparkling wine (1 tablespoon), plus up to 14 g more only if needed
• 1/8 teaspoon table salt
• Concentrated pink gel color, optional

Make the Italian-method shells

1. Sift the almond flour and powdered sugar. Mix in the 40 g egg-white portion to make a uniform almond paste; cover it.
2. Heat 115 g granulated sugar with 30 g water. Once boiling, do not stir. Begin whipping the 50 g egg-white portion when the syrup reaches about 110°C/230°F.
3. At 118°C/244°F, stream the syrup down the inside of the mixer bowl while mixing. Avoid the whisk; hot syrup can cause severe burns.
4. Whip until glossy and firm with a slight bend at the peak. Fold into the almond paste in three additions.
5. Macaronage until the batter falls in a slow ribbon and makes one figure eight that gradually settles. Add concentrated color before the final consistency.
6. Pipe even rounds, tap the tray and pop visible bubbles. Rest until matte and dry to a light touch if your process needs it, usually 20–40 minutes.
7. Bake one tray at a time on the middle rack at 115°C/240°F fan for about 20 minutes. If shells stay soft or stick after cooling, test 120°C/250°F on the next tray. Cool completely before filling.

For additional meringue and folding photographs, use the complete Italian macaron guide. Change only one oven variable per test batch.

Make the filling

1. Pulverize freeze-dried strawberries and sift out hard seeds or large pieces.
2. Beat butter and salt until smooth. Add powdered sugar and strawberry powder on low speed, then beat until fluffy.
3. Add 14 g sparkling wine and mix. Add more only a teaspoon at a time; the filling must hold a piped peak.
4. For an alcohol-free version, use alcohol-free sparkling wine or heavy cream. Because this filling is not cooked, do not assume the alcohol has evaporated.

Fill and decorate

1. Pair cooled shells and pipe buttercream onto half of them. Close gently with matching shells.
2. Use only luster dust whose package says edible and includes an ingredient list. “Non-toxic” or “decorative use only” is not sufficient under FDA guidance.
3. Apply dry edible dust with a clean food-only brush, or follow its manufacturer’s instructions.

Storage

Refrigerate filled macarons airtight at 4°C/40°F or colder and use within 3–4 days. Mature for 12–24 hours, then let them sit at cool room temperature for about 15 minutes before serving. Do not leave them unrefrigerated longer than 2 hours.

Troubleshooting

This version removes the watery fresh-purée and cream-cheese combination while keeping both strawberry and sparkling-wine flavor.
Belli xx