You don’t need to be a whiz with the whisk to put together a showstopping festive dessert.
In fact, all you need is a few minutes and one French-inspired supermarket find, to create a sweet Christmas centrepiece that will leave your guests wowed!
So, what’s the secret to this easy festive showstopper? It all comes down to freezer-aisle macarons and a touch of Christmas magic from our taste Food Editor, Elisa Pietrantonio…
The supermarket hack for the easiest Christmas dessert platter
To create the ultimate no-fuss festive dessert, you can’t look past Coles’ Christmas Macaron Selection.
Yep, the supermarket secret to Christmas cheer is none other than the beloved French treat, and these macarons are the gift that keeps on giving!
While you can enjoy these French-made macarons as they are – the 12-pack box contains a selection of three Christmas-inspired flavours – taste team member (and self-proclaimed ‘macaron snob’) Elisa has worked her magic to transform them into a festive showstopper.
READ MORE: Supermarket freezer aisle find set to be the star of your Christmas spread >
How to transform macarons into a Christmas centrepiece
The Coles Christmas Macarons already bring festive joy with their Christmas-inspired colours and flavours – hello, pistachio, gingerbread and raspberry – but Elisa has really taken things to the next level with her festive masterpiece.
Introducing… the macaron wreath!
“These macarons are great as a Christmas centrepiece! I like to arrange them in a wreath shape and decorate with fresh raspberries and mint leaves for an easy dessert showstopper that literally takes minutes to put together,” says Elisa.
No need to mess about with meringue, these Coles Christmas Macarons are ready to go and are sure to impress (especially when you plate them up like Elisa has!).
READ MORE: ‘Magical!’: We just tried the new gingerbread train kit from Coles’ Christmas range >
Why this is the perfect no-fuss festive dessert
You can arrange this festive wreath in a flash thanks to the Coles macarons, which you can find in the freezer aisle of your local Coles store.
And bonus: there’s no need for any cooking.
“They were so easy to prepare – simply defrost and devour. That’s it!” says Elisa.
You can also plate them up however you’d like.
“They are perfect to eat as is, would make a great addition to your Christmas dessert buffet, and are also perfect for decorating cakes and bakes,” she adds.
A taste test of Coles Christmas macarons
While these festive macarons are great for last-minute entertaining, we also had to put them through the flavour test.
It’s one thing for a dessert to look good, but it also needs to taste good!
Elisa gladly took on the challenge to see how they stacked up to the real deal…
“Macarons were all the rage when I got married back in 2012 and I was obsessed with making them. When I arrived in France for my honeymoon, I spent the entire time in search of the best macaron – I lost count over how many I ate!” explains Elisa.
With these Coles Christmas Macarons also made in France, how do they compare to the ones Elisa tried on her travels?
“As a self-confessed ‘macaron snob’, I can tell you these Coles ones are just as good as some of the French ones I sampled back then,” she raves.
There you have it! No need to travel to a Parisian patisserie, you can get the perfect French macaron at home.
READ MORE: Italian, French, Swiss: What’s the difference between these meringue types? >
What makes these Coles Christmas Macarons taste so delicious?
While you could say they have that ‘je ne sais quoi’ about them, Elisa has it down to an exact science.
“The shell is crisp but soft and chewy on the inside, they have a smooth and domed shell and the signature ‘foot’ at the base…all the hallmarks of a great macaron.”
“The flavour of macarons should also be distinct and complementary to the filling, not overly sweet, and the filling should be generous but not gooey or leaking out. These macarons tick all those boxes and then some,” raves Elisa.
Her favourite pick from the macaron selection?
“The gingerbread ones were a standout, packed full of that classic gingerbread flavour,” says Elisa.
However, all three macarons got her tick of approval. “The pistachio ones were also a delight and had a nice nutty aftertaste (they kind of reminded me of my mum’s amaretti biscuits actually!) and the raspberry ones were fresh and fruity.”
From classic Christmas flavours to fruity picks, they’re exactly what Aussie Christmas celebrations call for!
Where can I find the Coles Christmas Macarons?
You can find the Coles Christmas Macaron Selection in-store or online at Coles. They cost $10 for a 12 pack, and you can pick them up from the freezer aisle.
We’re absolutely loving them for Christmas!
READ NEXT: You’ve been cutting vanilla slice wrong all your life >
Dining and Cooking