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Update 11/12/10: I’m submitting this blog post to MacTweets MacAttack #13. The theme for this challenge is Fall macarons. Check out everyone’s fall inspired macarons on November 30th at MacTweets!

Of all the macarons I’ve made, the pumpkin macarons have been the biggest hit with my friends. So I’m even thinking about making them for thanksgiving. They are like pumpkin pie in macaron form.

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Fall is here, the trees are turning into beautiful shades of golden-yellow, orange, and brown. Right now I want to make anything and everything with pumpkin. I’ve been running around like a crazy person, buying as many cans of pumpkin as I can carry because I’m afraid that a few weeks from now they will be out of stock once again. Call me paranoid. I think I now have enough pumpkin to last me until way after thanksgiving. I thought that pumpkin would be the perfect fall flavor for a macaron: spiced pumpkin folded into white chocolate and then whipped until soft and airy. And since macarons are better in sets of two, I also made salted caramel macarons to keep the pumpkin macarons company.

What is your favorite pumpkin dessert? Any recipes you can recommend? I’m thinking about making a pumpkin cheesecake next.

Ingredients:
Shells
• 300g almond meal
• 300g powdered sugar
• 110g egg whites
PLUS
• 300g granulated sugar
• 75g water
• 110g egg whites
Procedure
1. Pass the almond meal and powdered sugar through a mesh strainer. Add first 110g of egg whites into the almond/sugar mixture without mixing them.
2. Boil water and granulated sugar to 118° (244°F). When the water and sugar reaches 110° (230°F) start whipping the 2nd 110g of egg whites in the stand mixer using the whisk attachment.
3. Pour the 118°C (244°F) sugar on the side of the mixer while mixing the egg whites so that it does not splatter. Continue mixing until the mixture cools down to 50°C (122°F). Fold almond mixture into the egg whites/sugar mixture.
4. In a small container mix about 2 tablespoons of mixture with 1/2 teaspoon gel food coloring (I used brown for the salted caramel macs and orange for the pumpkin macs), then fold into the rest of the macaron mixture.
5. Pipe on cookie sheets lined with Silpats. Firmly rap the cookie sheets against the counter twice. Let the piped shells stand uncovered for 30 minutes.
6. Pre-heat oven to 180°C (356°F). Bake for 12 minutes. Let them cool on the cookie sheets for 5-10 minutes. Remove from cookie sheets with a small offset spatula and let them cool completely on racks. Pipe the filling on the inside of one shell, and place another shell on top. Refrigerate macarons in an airtight container for 24-48 hours before serving. Makes about 75 macarons.

Note: for the pumpkin macaron shells, add ½ teaspoon pumpkin pie spice in step 4; for the salted caramel macarons add ½ teaspoon vanilla extract in step 4.

Whipped Pumpkin Ganache Filling (enough to fill 35 macarons)
Ingredients:
• 8 ounces white chocolate
• 3 tablespoons heavy cream
• 2 tablespoons brown sugar
• ½ cup canned pumpkin
• 1 ½ teaspoon pumpkin pie spice
Procedure:
1. Melt chocolate over a water bath. Set aside.
2. Place cream, brown sugar, pumpkin, and pumpkin pie spice in a small saucepan until it just comes to a simmer.
3. Add the cream mixture to the chocolate and fold it in.Pour ganache in a shallow dish. Place plastic wrap directly on the ganache and refrigerate until thickened.
4. Refrigerate until cold. Place ganache in the bowl of a stand mixer, and using the whisk attachment whip the ganache until it turns fluffy and lighter in color. Pipe filling on macarons.

Salted Caramel Buttercream (enough to fill 35 macarons)
Ingredients:
• 8 ounces European style butter (demisel) at room temperature
• 16 ounces caramel
• ½ cup powdered sugar, sifted
• ½ teaspoon vanilla extract
• ¼ teaspoon flaky sea salt, crushed to a fine powder
Procedure:
1. In the bowl of a stand mixed, and using the whisk attachment, whip the butter until creamy. Slowly add in the caramel while still beating. Add in the powdered sugar and vanilla extract until well incorporated. With a large spatula, fold in the salt.
2. Refrigerate for about 30 minutes. Pipe filling on macarons.