I know such a headline needs explanation and as you might already assume, this might take some more words. Dorothée of bushcooks kitchen is hosting the 110th (!) Blog-Event on Zorras blog and came up with a wonderful idea: A virtual culinary threesome! I like teaming up with other bloggers, discussing a menu and ideas, planning together and creating a special 3 course menu with one theme.

I wanted to be part of this, this is only the second Blog-Event I attend, so the subject seriously got to me. It was clear that I’d go for dessert, as I am not much of a cook and after all IT’S DESSERT!!!!! I quickly found a Starter and a Main Course as Isabel & Nata, who I also met along with Dorothée and Zorra at last years Walnut Flavour Pairing Event, were looking for a cherry on top that I gladly deliver!

Special thanks to Isabel who hands-on took over most of the planning and kickstarted my culinary dessert endeavours. I’ve been thinking about experimenting with wine for some time, but was lacking the inspiration. A chat with my go-to wine-guy on the local farmers market reveilled a potential combination and I am very happy with the outcome.

So here goes our awesome-threesome menu “Summer Colours”:

Ajo Blanco with Pistaccios & iced Grapes by lovely Isabel aka Ko(ch)lloquium

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Grilled Sea Bass with Basil-Mayonaise by fantastic Nata aka Pastaciutta

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Gewurztraminer-Cherry Macarons by Christiane aka Schabakery

The dessert should be prepared already a day ahead, so you have no hassle after being completely stuffed with delicious ajo blanco and sea bass. Just remove the super light, fluffy, sweet Macarons with the fruity and aromatic filling from the fridge 5 minutes before serving. They are so soft, they melt on your tongue and the slighly fruity-bitter Gewurztraminer-Cherry filling makes them suitable even for hot summer nights.

For ca 40 Macarons:

• 500 g fresh ripe Cherries
• 200 ml Gewurztraminer wine
• 250 g jam sugar 2:1
• 1 batch white Basic Macarons

First prepare 3 jam glasses, fill them with boiling water and let it sit for some minutes, also pour boiling water over the lids. Turn over onto a clean tea towel and let them air-dry. Let’s move on to the cherries, pit and halve them. You should have 400 g pitted, halved cherries, indulge on the rest. In a large saucepan cook the cherries with half of the wine over medium heat for 30 minutes. Use a hand-held blender to purée the cherries and the wine, then fill up with the rest of the wine and bring to boil again. Stir in the jam sugar and cook on high heat for 3-4 minutes. To test if the jam has set already, drip a few drops onto a cool plate and check the consistency after a few seconds. If it is still runny, let it cook for another minute. When your jam has set, fill into the prepared glasses, close the lids tight and turn them upside down for 10 minutes. Let the jam cool completely before you transfer the glasses to the fridge. The filling is best spread cold, so you can let it chill in the fridge for an hour while you prepare the Macarons. Once they are all baked, cooled and sorted, you can fill the content of 1 jam glass into a piping bag with a 6 mm round nozzle. Slightly press the inside of the shells with your thumb and fill with a large dot of ja before you add the second half on top, pressing them together to spread the filling evenly. Stack them into a cookie tin,  separate the layers with parchment paper and let the Macarons sit in the fridge overnight.