Pumpkin Spice Macarons

I

am going to start a 12 step program for everyone who is as addicted to macarons as I am. Moderation just isn’t part of my vocabulary when it comes to these crunchy yet chewy bites of perfection. I am not going to lie macarons can be tricky…but only until you master a recipe. Once you find the right recipe and technique, the fun begins. Fun because now you can start playing with flavors and fillings. So when the girls and I finally found the secret to macarons…psst it’s Italian merengue, we knew it was time to get creative. The hard thing with macarons is balancing the science behind the cookie with changing the flavor. Changing the flavor means adding ingredients which can very easily change the integrity of the cookie.  If every season has a flavor… fall is pumpkin!  The chill in the air means fuzzy socks and pumpkin-flavored everything. When my girls suggested making pumpkin macarons, I knew they were on to something. The hard part would be to add pumpkin without ruining the structure of the airy cookie. There is no way to add the water content in pumpkin puree to the macaron without breaking down the integrity of the meringue. We decided to add pumpkin pie spice to the cookie portion and the pumpkin puree to the buttercream filling. The moisture of the macaron filling is what helps change the texture of the cookie and create the chewy, nougaty inside of the cookie. This is why it is best to let your cookies sit for 24 hours after baking and filling before serving. The pumpkin buttercream actually aides in this process and creates a perfectly chewy center. So what seemed like an unlikely pairing actually became a symbiotic cookie relationship. Who needs pumpkin pie, when Thanksgiving dinner can now be finished with a macaron!

Ingredients:

120g egg whites, divided

185g sugar, divided

2g sea salt

150g almond flour

150g confectioners sugar

4g pumpkin pie spice

50g water

2g vanilla extract

2g pumpkin pie extract

 

Instructions:

1. In food processor prepare dry ingredients. Mix almond flour, confectioners sugar, salt and pumpkin pie spice.
2. In mixer, beat on high 60g egg whites to soft peaks.
3. Add 35g sugar to egg whites mix on high.
4. In saucepan over medium-high heat bring water and 150g sugar to a boil until it reaches 230 F.
5. Slowly drizzle down the side of the egg whites mixer bowl. Beat on high until the mixture is cooled.
6. Mix 60g egg whites and the dry ingredients mixture.
7. Add 2g vanilla extract and 2g pumpkin pie spice.
8. Fold mixture into the cooled meringue.
9. Fill a large pastry bag fitted with Wilton 1A tip or equivalent.
10. Pipe macarons onto a parchment-lined baking sheet.
11. Pound baking sheet on counter to release air, repeat about 5 times.
12. Let macarons sit on the baking sheet for 30 minutes or until a skin forms.
13. Bake at 315 for 15-20 minutes rotating halfway through
14. let sit until the cookies cool and release from parchment.
15. Fill with pumpkin spice buttercream or cream cheese frosting.

• Pumpkin Buttercream:  https://sweeterthymes.com/2019/11/04/pumpkin-buttercream-frosting/

• Cream Cheese Frosting:  https://sweeterthymes.com/2019/10/20/cream-cheese-frosting/

1. Let sit 24 hours before serving.