DIY French Macaron Tower

French macarons are so lovely, it’s hard to imagine them more perfect than they already are by themselves.  Walking around the streets of Paris, patisseries showcase their beautiful macarons with whimsical little macaron towers, which officially transform cookie into art.  If you are looking for a conversation piece for your next party, try this DIY macaron tower. With just a bit of effort, you can create your own stunning masterpiece.

Some simple items you’ll need to make your macaron tower

Items for DIY Macaron Tower

1.)  Styrofoam cone (9″ tall with 3 3/4″ diameter base)

2.)  Toothpicks

3.)  Store-bought white icing (I used Wilton, which is a bit thicker than other brands)

4.)  One wooden chopstick

5.)  Unsweetened shredded coconut (about 1 cup)

6.)  24-30 1.5″ macarons, depending on size, and a few extra just incase of cracks or mistakes

7.)  An attractive pedestal or plate for serving

Slather the cone with an even, thick coating of white frosting, then unsweetened shredded coconut

Slather the cone with an even, thick coating of white frosting, then shredded coconut

You first want to insert the wooden chopstick at the top of the foam cone.  This will help prevent frosting from getting all over your hands, and will also help with transferring the tower over to the pedestal when it is complete.  Working atop a large piece of parchment paper will help during this process.

Slather the entire foam cone with a thick, even layer of the white icing, then gently press unsweetened shredded coconut over the iced surface.  I prefer to use unsweetened coconut instead of sweetened because it is less tacky/sticky to work with, and because gives a more natural look.  If you prefer, you can also move the prepared cone directly to the serving pedestal at this time before attaching the macarons.

Start at the base of the cone…

Insert toothpicks…

And repeat!

When starting to create the tower, insert toothpicks about 3/4″ above the bottom base of the cone.  After placing the first macaron, try to visually estimate the number of macarons that will fit around the entire base, so that you can space them evenly around the cone.  For extra stability, place toothpicks at a 45 degree angle from the surface of the cone, facing upwards.  You want to insert the toothpick in until only about a 1/2″ is showing, then attach or “pierce” the macaron onto tower.  Continue this process until you reach the top!

Setting the stage

To showcase your masterpiece, choose the most attractive pedestal or platter that you have. I filled the base of my pedestal with some Sixlets candies in a robin’s egg blue color.  I then transferred my macaron tower over to the pedestal using a large spatula, just to make sure I wouldn’t get any crumbs on my pedestal base.  It is also possible to add the macarons onto the tower after the cone has already been placed on the pedestal.

If you feel it is necessary, use leftover icing to adhere the foam base to your pedestal.  I like the effect of a simple macaron tower in a few beautiful colors, but you can embellish your tower with a large bow, small ribbons, or other small candies.  Again, use the extra white icing as glue to affix the decorations.  Above all, let your creative inspiration run wild…good luck!

And the inspiration…Laduree’s storefront

Additional Tips for Making Your Macaron Tower:

1.  Only use sturdy, intact macarons with fillings that aren’t the least bit runny.  Please check out my tips for making your macaron fillings less runny.  Thickened fillings equals prettier towers!

2. If 1 toothpick doesn’t work, use 2, slightly separated from one another (Example:  1″ apart for a 1 1/2″ macaron).  This works best for macarons that are softer and don’t have a strong shell.

3.  Pipe a dab of store-bought frosting or royal icing on the backside of the macaron and another dab on the place on the cone you are attaching the macaron to for extra security (or if your macaron has cracks and isn’t as sturdy anymore).

4.  This tower is best made in cooler weather as macaron fillings can start melting/running if it’s too warm.  Warm weather will lessen the stability of the tower.

5.  Place the tower in its final serving location and on its final serving platter before decorating so you won’t have to worry about moving it later!

And if you are a fan of Laduree macarons, you’re probably a fan of their teas too.  The Melange Laduree and Jardin bleu Royal blends are two of my favorites…please check out my reviews here!

 

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Macaron Day!

[…] Bonnie Eng of Thirsty for Tea’s easy how-to illustrates the steps for creating a macaron tree.  I made one for my French Christmas photoshoot and love how elegant it made my dining table setting. […]

Reply
jasmene

Thank you for your clear instructions and tips and beautiful picture tutorial. I made this for our daughter’s 10 year old birthday last night. It was a hit and I was happy with how it turned out!

Reply
Jiulie

Hello, I am making my first macaron tower for my daughter’s birthday. It is 3 3/4 inch wide and 11 inches tall (about 33 macarons). I purchased fresh made macarons today. Can I make the tower a day ahead and place in the refrigerator or should I make it the morning of the party? The party is in the morning at 10 am.

Reply
Bonnie Eng

Hi Jiulie,
My suggestion is to assemble the base layer only, with the tower already affixed (with some frosting) to the plate you are planning on serving on. This will allow you to relocate the tower easily tomorrow. It will also help to give you an idea of how to assemble the tower, and the work and time necessary. You can place a plastic-wrap covering around the macarons around the base. Place in fridge or room temp as long as it is cool. For tomorrow, move the plate (with tower on it) to the serving table, then finish assembling the tower. Have extra frosting on hand in case you need it. Hope this helps! 🙂

Reply
Asha

Hi Bonnie,
I love this idea! I want to make a few for my daughters baby shower. Can you recommend another coating other than coconut?

Thanks!

Reply
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