The perfect sweet treat to pair with Demi-Sec Champagnes this Halloween

Here are the ingredients that you will need to create your very own Halloween-themed Macarons:

165g almond flour
165g confectioners’ sugar
Pinch sea salt
150g granulated sugar
115g aged egg whites (from about 4 eggs)
3g cream of tartar
1 Tablespoon grated orange zest
5 Drops of orange or black food colouring
1 Cup heavy cream
2 Tablespoons light corn syrup
10 Oz semisweet chocolate or white chocolate and add 5 drops of orange food colouring
1 Tablespoon unsalted butter softened

Pair your freshly made Macarons with a glass of Demi-Sec Champagne – you won’t be disappointed!

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• Canard-Duchêne Cuvee Leonie Demi Sec NV Champagne 75cl – This Champagne has a distinct mature style with excellent stucture and richness. The Cuvee Leonie Demi Sec expresses this unique style with a bouquet of fruit aromas and a rich, round mouth feel. 
• Veuve Clicquot Demi Sec Champagne NV 75cl – The higher dosage gives this Champagne richer notes without detracting from its freshness. A beautiful yellow colour, deep golden glints, and even mousse. An intense fragrance reminiscent of ripe fruit (candied citrus fruit, fruit liqueurs) with notes of brioche and toast.
• Piper Heidsieck Sublime Cuvée Demi Sec Champagne NV 75cl – A golden bronze colour and fine languid bubbles, reveals notes of gourmet fruits – roasted pineapple and vanilla scented pear. A wine that perfectly balances mellowness and freshness.

Follow this method to create your delicate French confections:

Combine almond flour, confectioners’ sugar and salt into a food processor and pulse a few times to combine

Using a fine-mesh strainer, sift the mixture onto a piece of parchment paper and set aside

In a large bowl (or the bowl of an electric mixer), hand whisk together to just combine the granulated sugar, egg whites and cream of tartar

Using an electric mixer on medium speed, mix egg whites mixture until stiff peaks form, about 11 minutes

Using a spatula, gently mix in the dry ingredients previously set aside on the parchment paper using a macaronner technique

When the mixture is 90% combined, add in the orange zest and orange food coloring

Spoon the mixture into a pastry bag with a ½ inch round tip or a ½ inch hole

Pipe meringue dough into quarter-sized macarons on a baking sheet covered with silicone mat

When done piping, slam the baking sheet onto counter from about a 6 inch height – this step is important as it will remove air bubbles trapped in macarons that would otherwise rise during baking and crack the shell

Leave baking sheet uncovered for 30-40 minutes to allow the macaron shells to settle and the shell to become a little hard

When ready to bake, preheat oven to 200 degrees

Bake macaron shells for 15 minutes and then increase the oven temperature to 350 and bake for another 9 minutes

Remove from oven and place entire silicon mat on cooling rack for an hour

Repeat piping and baking with the rest of the shell batter

While the shells are cooling, bring cream and corn syrup to a boil in a small saucepan and remove from heat

Add chocolate to food processor and pour hot cream and corn syrup on top

Pulse until chocolate has completely melted

Add in butter and pulse again until mixture is smooth and shiny

Let sit for 15 minutes before piping between shells

…Enjoy!