Pumpkin Pie Macarons with a Pumpkin Butter Filling (Italian Meringue Recipe)

Oh delicious, autumn-y pumpkin. I love pumpkin, I actually used to think it tasted weird as a kid but now I have grown to love it. The yumminess of this macaron comes from the spices and real pumpkin used in the filling. I used to only make pumpkin spice without any pumpkin but I feel it's better to put the real thing in it. So here is my recipe, I kinda winged it on the filling...so probably just use a swiss buttercream or even better, an egg yolk or cooked frosting. I'll give you three options at the end :P


Pumpkin Pie Macarons with a Pumpkin Butter Filling (Italian Meringue Recipe), makes about 24 completed macarons or 48 shells

Ingredients:
Mass:
-150g almond meal/flour (I use Trader Joe's Blanched Slivered Almonds and grind them in a food processor)
-145g powdered sugar
-5g pumpkin spice
-50g egg whites (do not have to be aged)
-Gel food coloring (optional)
-2 tsp cornstarch (if weather is humid)
-pinch of salt

Italian Meringue:
-120g granulated sugar
-55g egg whites (do not have to be aged)
-40g water

Materials:
-Candy thermometer
-Kitchen/postal scale
-Piping bags/large round tip (These give the most perfect results if that's what you're going for)
-Good insulated baking sheets (I use Nordic Ware Baker's Half Sheet)
-Parchment paper or silpats (I prefer silpats but parchment is nice too)
-Stand mixer (recommended, but it is possible with a hand mixer, just takes longer)
-Rubber Spatula/pastry scraper

1. Process together your almond flour, pumpkin spice, and powdered sugar in a food processor until finely ground. Sift together into a large bowl.
2. Add the 50g egg whites and mix until it becomes a dough-like consistency, and add in your food coloring. Cover with plastic wrap and set aside.
3. For the meringue, beat your 55g egg whites in the bowl of your stand mixer until frothy, then add a pinch of sugar if you'd like to stabilize the egg whites. Beat until soft peaks form, then turn the mixer down to low or 'stir' so that they don't deflate. DO NOT OVERBEAT EGG WHITES AT THIS STAGE. VERY IMPORTANT...if you do, your macarons will be hollow.
4. At the same time, put the water and sugar in a small saucepan over the stove at medium-high heat and attach your candy thermometer. When the mixture gets bubbly with no spots of unboiled sugar or 240 degrees Fahrenheit on your candy thermometer, take the sugar syrup off heat and slowly pour it into the egg whites, while turning up your mixer to medium-high speed. Let it beat until the bowl of the stand mixer is body temperature, and holds a nice 'beak'. The meringue should be stiff, shiny, and smooth.
5. Then add 1/3 of the meringue to the mass just to lighten it up, making it easier to fold into the meringue. Fold with a rubber spatula just a bit until no white spots are showing.
7. Once the batter will fall of the spatula with a thick ribbon-like consistency, you are ready to pipe them. Pipe 1-1.5 inch diameter circles onto baking sheets lined with parchment paper or Silpat. Now is a good time to preheat your oven to 300 degrees Fahrenheit.
8. Once you are done piping, drop the sheets a couple times on the counter to get rid of air bubbles and flatten out any peaks on your macarons.
9. Now let them rest for 15-20 minutes, or until the macarons are dry to the touch.
10. Bake for 10-13 minutes, depending on how solid you want your macarons. I recommend 12. Also only bake one tray at a time so that it is baked with even heat.
11. Let them cool completely before taking them off the baking sheets with an offset spatula.

Pumpkin Butter Filling (Version 1 Swiss Meringue Buttercream)

Ingredients:

-2 egg whites
-1/3 cup sugar

-1/2 cup butter (1 stick)

-1/3 cup pumpkin butter/puree

-1-2 tbsp pumpkin spice

-1-2 tbsp flour (optional)

1. Set up a water bath over medium-low heat. (a small amount of water in a pot, with a smaller bowl over the pot)
2. Add the egg whites and granulated sugar into the smaller bowl, and whisk constantly to prevent mixture from cooking.
3. Once the mixture reaches 140 degrees Fahrenheit on your thermometer or if you put your fingers in the mixture and rub them together, no sugar crystals remain, take it off heat.
4. With a hand or stand mixer, beat the egg whites until they become thick and white.
5. Now add in your butter a stick at a time (if it is not softened, heat it up in microwave for 8 seconds). Beat for about 2 minutes, or until the buttercream has become a light and fluffy texture. It may look curdled while beating, but keep beating until it becomes smooth.
6. Add in your pumpkin puree and spice until smooth. If too runny, add some flour (like 1-2 tbsp) to soak up the excess moisture.
7. Now sandwich similar sized shells together and store in the fridge for at least 24 hours, so that the flavors meld and it softens up the shell a bit. Serve a room temperature for a better taste experience.

Pumpkin Butter Filling (Version 2 Egg Yolk/Milk Buttercream) - adapted from Yoo Eatz

Ingredients:
-2 egg yolks
-1/3 cup sugar
-7 tbsp milk
-7 tbsp butter
-1/4 cup pumpkin butter/puree
-1-2 tbsp pumpkin spice

1. Cream egg yolks and sugar together until light in color in a small saucepan.
2. Add in the milk and whisk until well combined.
3. Turn on the burner and cook egg yolk, sugar, and milk mixture until thick in consistency.
4. Strain mixture through a sieve to catch any cooked/curdled egg yolk and let it cool to room temperature.
5. Add in your softened butter (if not softened, heat it up in microwave for 8 seconds) and beat until smooth.
6. Add in your pumpkin butter/puree and spice and beat until desired texture.
7. Now sandwich similar sized shells together and store in the fridge at least 24 hours so that the flavors meld and softens up the shell a bit. Serve at room temperature for a better taste experience.

Pumpkin Butter Filling (Version 3 Cooked Frosting) - adapted from yoyomax12 

Ingredients:
-4 tbsp flour
-1/2 cup milk
-1/2 cup finely ground sugar
-1/2 cup butter
-1/4 cup pumpkin butter/puree
-1-2 tbsp pumpkin spice

1. Cook milk and flour in a saucepan until it is like a thick paste.
2. While the paste is cooling, beat butter and sugar for 4 minutes until light and fluffy.
3. When flour paste is cooled, add it into butter sugar mixture and beat for another 4 minutes until consistency desired.
4. Add in your pumpkin butter/puree and spice and beat until satisfied.
5. Now sandwich similar sized shells together and store in the fridge at least 24 hours so that the flavors meld and softens up the shell a bit. Serve at room temperature for a better taste experience.