(Ma)couronnes

Madeleine Rhode of Menomonee Falls heavily adapted two recipes to create these pretty wreath-shaped, filled macarons, which she named after the French word for wreath: la couronne.

Makes about 25 macarons

Shells: 1⁄2 cup almond flour (53 grams)

1⁄6 cup pistachio flour (18 grams)

1 cup powdered sugar (117 grams)

2 large egg whites, room temperature

1⁄4 cup granulated sugar (53 grams)

1 teaspoon almond extract Buttercream: 1⁄4 cup (1⁄2 stick) salted butter

1 1⁄4 cups powdered sugar

1⁄2 teaspoon almond extract

2 tablespoons finely chopped maraschino cherries Assembly: ⁄4 cup red colored candy 1 melts

1 tablespoon coconut oil

Make shells: Preheat oven to 350 degrees with rack in lower third.

Pass almond flour, pistachio flour and powdered sugar through a fine-mesh sieve until less than 2 tablespoons of solids remains in sieve. Discard leftover solids in sieve and set aside the sifted nut/sugar mixture.

In a bowl, whisk egg whites and granulated sugar by hand to combine and then transfer to a stand mixer. Beat on medium speed (4 on a KitchenAid) 2 minutes. Increase speed to medium-high (6) and beat 2 minutes. Then beat on high (8) 2 to 3 minutes more.

The beaten egg whites will hold stiff, glossy peaks when you lift the whisk out of the bowl. Add almond extract and beat on highest speed 30 seconds.

Sift dry ingredients into egg white mixture all at once. Fold with a spatula, 35 to 40 complete strokes. The batter should just begin to flow down from the spatula in an unbroken stream.

Rest a pastry bag fitted with a tip of choice inside a glass. Transfer batter to bag; secure top. Dab some batter remaining in bowl onto corners of 2 heavy baking sheets; line with parchment.

With piping tip 1⁄2 inch above the sheet, pipe batter in a ring shape that measures about 3⁄4 inch in diameter, then swirl tip off to one side. Repeat, spacing rounds 1 inch apart. Tap sheets firmly against counter 2 or 3 times to release air bubbles.

Bake 1 sheet at a time in preheated oven, rotating halfway through, until risen and just set, 9 minutes. Let cool completely before removing from parchment. Make buttercream: In a stand mixer, cream butter and powdered sugar until light and fluffy; about 2 to 3 minutes. Add almond extract and beat until fully incorporated. Add finely chopped maraschino cherries to bowl and gently mix. To assemble: Pipe buttercream in a ring on half of the macarons. Place other macaron shell half on top and gently press down.

Melt red candy melts and coconut oil in microwave. Transfer to a pastry bag fitted with a small round tip. Pipe bows onto parchment paper and let sit at room temperature until firm. Carefully remove bows from parchment; adhere to macarons with a dot of frosting.