Pumpkin Macarons with Pumpkin-Caramel Filling
Love sweet treats that showcase spicy autumn flavors? These Pumpkin Macarons with Pumpkin-Caramel Filling are the perfect elegant fall dessert.
Pumpkin Macarons with Pumpkin-Caramel Filling
Photo Credit : Mark FlemingLove sweet treats that showcase spicy autumn flavors? These Pumpkin Macarons with Pumpkin-Caramel Filling are the perfect elegant fall dessert.
First, a note about names: Macaroons are chewy coconut cookies; macarons are meringue-like French sandwich cookies. “Macarons can be intimidating, but honestly some of the best results I’ve seen have been from complete novices, because they have no bad habits,” Gesine says. Nevertheless, the shells are made from a simple but finicky batter. If you haven’t made macarons before, it may take a couple of tries to get a feel for it. One tip: Measure your ingredients as accurately as possible—which is to say, by weight. A digital scale makes this easy. And an instant-read thermometer will ensure good results when it’s time to boil the sugar syrup (a closely watched candy thermometer also works).
For best results, follow the traditional French method of “aging” the egg whites. We recommend separating the egg whites and refrigerating them for two days, then letting them come to room temperature before using.
Yield:
about 40 macaronsFor the shells
Ingredients
150 grams finely ground almond flour
150 grams powdered sugar
1/4 teaspoon pumpkin spice blend
110 grams egg whites, at room temperature
1/8 teaspoon table salt
4 grams orange gel food coloring
40 grams water
1/4 teaspoon lemon juice
150 grams granulated sugar
Instructions
Line two rimmed baking sheets with parchment paper, and set aside. Sift together the almond flour, powdered sugar, and pumpkin spice into a large mixing bowl, and set aside.
Add the egg whites to the bowl of a stand mixer, then remove 1 tablespoon and put into a small bowl. Add the salt to the large bowl of egg whites and give it a quick stir.
Add the reserved egg whites and the food coloring to the almond mixture but do not stir. Set aside.
In a small saucepan, combine the water, lemon juice, and granulated sugar. Stir very gently over medium heat, brushing down any sugar granules that are clinging to the side of the pot with a damp pastry brush. When sugar has completely melted, stop stirring. Keeping close tabs on your thermometer, bring up the temperature. The goal is to hit 240° and immediately remove the pan from the heat, but just before that, when the syrup reaches 230° to 235°, start the mixer on high to beat the egg whites until they are nice and foamy. When the syrup hits 240°, slowly and carefully pour the syrup down the side of the bowl, avoiding the moving whisk to prevent splatters. Whisk on high until the whites are bright white and shiny, but not stiff. They should curl just at the tip when you lift the whisk from the whites.
Add the meringue to the bowl with the almond mixture and fold together until the batter is smooth and shiny and reaches the flowing consistency of ketchup (this will take between 30 and 40 strokes). Transfer the batter to a pastry bag fitted with a large open tip. Pipe round, quarter-size dollops about ½ inch apart on the prepared sheet pans. To remove any air bubbles, carefully bang each pan twice on the counter.
Let the shells sit at room temperature for 20 to 30 minutes to form a skin. Meanwhile, preheat the oven to 275° and set the racks to the upper and lower thirds of the oven.
Bake the shells until they are cooked but not browned, 15 to 20 minutes, rotating the pans halfway through for even baking. Allow shells to cool completely.
Meanwhile, make the caramel filling.
For the filling
Ingredients
1/4 cup maple syrup
1/4 cup light brown sugar
1/4 cup heavy cream
2 tablespoons sweetened condensed milk
2 tablespoons light corn syrup
1/2 teaspoon table salt
1 tablespoon unsalted butter, softened
1/4 cup pumpkin purée
1/2 teaspoon pumpkin spice blend
Instructions
Meanwhile, make the caramel filling: In a large saucepan, combine the maple syrup, brown sugar, heavy cream, sweetened condensed milk, corn syrup, and salt. Stir constantly over medium heat until the mixture reaches 248°. Take the caramel from the heat and stir in the butter and pumpkin purée. This will cause the temperature to drop. Return the pot to the heat and stir until the temperature reaches 235°. Turn off the heat and stir in the pumpkin spice blend. Allow the caramel to cool completely.
Once the filling has cooled, use a teaspoon to scoop out a dollop of caramel (coat the spoon with nonstick cooking spray to make the process easier). Gently flatten the caramel with your fingers and place it on the flat side of a macaron shell, then top with another shell to create a sandwich. Repeat with the remaining shells and caramel. For best results, refrigerate the macarons overnight in an airtight container to let the flavors meld before serving at room temperature. You can store them, sealed and refrigerated, for up to a week.
