Pumpkin Spice Macarons with Brown Butter Filling (GF)

Happy Halloween! 

Today I have a pumpkin spice French macaron recipe to share with you. I have made these little guys before on my previous blog, Pixie Crust, and just recently they were featured on a Buzz Feed contributor article of “101 Pumpkin Recipes.” Did you find me? I'm number 66.

 

I bring the recipe to you again this year because it is truly a "bake over and over" again type of dessert.  I usually like to use a Swiss meringue buttercream or French buttercream as the filling, but in this batch, I made a browned butter filling. You could also try out other variations like salted caramel, chocolate ganache, or pumpkin spice buttercream. I personally, however, really love the simplicity of a light, simple vanilla buttercream because the combination of the spicy cookie and creamy buttercream is just like pumpkin pie finished with a dollop of whipped cream. I find it to be delicious and very well balanced.

I hope you and yours have a very fun evening full of celebration!

For the Macaron Shells (From Martha Stewart)
1 cup confectioner’s sugar

3/4 cup blanched almond flour (I only use Honeyville Farms)

1/2 tbsp pumpkin pie spice

1/4 cup granulated sugar

2 egg whites, room temperature and aged for 2 days

3-4 drops orange food coloring

Pinch of cream of tartar

Pre-heat oven to 275 degrees. Combine the confectioner's sugar, almond flour and pumpkin pie spice in food processor. Pulse until combined. Sift mixture through fine mesh sieve and set aside.

Whip egg whites using whisk attachment of stand mixer. Once frothy, add pinch of cream of tartar. Then, add 1/4 cup sugar. Continue beating until stiff peaks form. Add food coloring and mix to incorporate. Remove bowl from stand and sift in dry ingredients. Mix with offset spatula, using a folding motion until ingredients are incorporated and the batter resembles a "lava" like texture and will ribbon off the end of the spatula. Place batter in pastry bag fitted with a round tip. Pipe rounds onto baking sheets lined with parchment paper. Allow to "rest" for 35-40 minutes prior to baking. Bake for 12-15 minutes until macarons no longer jiggle under feet.

For the filling

1 stick unsalted butter

1 1/4 cups powdered sugar

1 tsp vanilla extract

In a small sauce pot, melt the butter and continue cooking over medium heat until mixture is a tan color and smells nutty. Remove from heat. Pour butter into a separate heat safe bowl and allow to cool. Once cool, place in bowl of stand mixer and combine with powder sugar and vanilla. Add 1 cup of powdered sugar first and add more depending on personal taste and texture.

Fill small pastry bag with buttercream. Pipe about a teaspoon of filling onto one side of a cookie and sandwich with another cookie. Continue until all macarons are filled.