Pumpkin Macarons


*You will need some almond flour. If you can’t buy it, you can make your own, just make sure the almonds are really dry. Seperate the eggs at least 1 hour before using or preferably the day before. And if you want to ensure all the macarons are the same size makes a huge difference here.

The recipe makes about 2 dozen 1½-inch macarons

Ingredients

215 grams (7½ ounces) confectioners’ sugar
140 grams (5 ounces) almond flour or sliced almonds
½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
100 grams (3½ ounces) egg whites (about 3 large) at room temperature
Pinch salt
25 grams (2 tablespoons) castor or superfine granulted sugar
Orange food coloring preferably paste or gel
Pumpkin buttercream (see following recipe)

Directions

Line two 18-by-13 inch cookie sheets with parchment paper adhering them to the sheets with a little butter.
If sliced, grind the almonds very fine in a food processor with about half the confectioners’ sugar, scraping regularly. Add the remaining confectioners’ sugar and cinnamon and process until very fine. Pass through a medium-coarse sieve and regrind the remaining almond bits if necessary. If using almond flour, sift together with the confectioners’ sugar.
Beat the whites and salt with an electric mixer until soft peaks form. Add the granulated sugar and beat until stiff and shiny. Add enough coloring for an attractive orange color and beat until stiff and shiny. Add enough coloring for an attractive orange color and beat until homogenous. Using a rubber spatula fold in the almond mixture in two additions until just homogenous. The mixture will deflate.
Fit a piping bag with a 38-inch (1 cm) round tip. Pipe the batter onto the baking sheets in circles about 1 inch in diameter. Let the macarons dry about 20 minutes (a little longer is OK if you need to cook them in two batches) so a little skin forms on the outside.
Preheat oven to 425°F.
Set the macarons in the center of the oven and immediately lower the temperature to 350°F. Prop the door slightly ajar with a wooden spoon or something similar. For small macarons, bake about 8-10 minutes, larger ones will take about 12-15. They are doen whe shiny and hard on the outside. When you pry one apart it should be a little moist in the middle. Set on a cooling rack and cool briefly. Remove the macarons from the parchment paper while still warm. Cool on cooling racks.
Sandwich the macarons with 1-2 teaspoons of buttercream. Set in an air-tight container and refrigerate overnight.

Pumpkin Buttercream

Makes about 2 cups (enough for about 4 dozen macarons)

Ingredients

2 large egg whites
23
Pinch salt
6½ ounces (13 tablespoons) unsalted butter, slightly cooler than room temperature, cut into 1-inch pieces
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
½ cup canned pumpkin puree (at room temperature)
½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
¼ teaspoon ground nutmeg
Large pinch ground cloves
Orange food coloring, preferably paste or gel

Directions

Beat the egg whites in a stand mixer until they form soft peaks.
Meanwhile combine the sugar and about 3 tablespoons water in a small saucepan over moderately high heat. Bring to a boil and cook to the soft ball stage (235-240°F) on a candy thermometer.
Gradually pour the syrup into the egg whites with the mixer on a low speed. Scrape down the sides and beat on high speed until the meringue is at room temperature. Gradually add the butter and salt, scraping down the sides of the bowl regularly. Beat until completely smooth and fluffy. Gradually beat in the remaining ingredients adding enough orange food coloring to give the buttercream an attractive color. If the buttercream seems to be separating beat on high until it comes back together.

Recipe copyright by Michael Kronkl