This delicate and tasty dessert is inspired by the flavors of fall. Classic Macarons are filled with Pasolivo Tangerine Olive Oil, pumpkin butter, and the Pasolivo Sugar and Spice Blend. These Macarons with impress all your guests at you next gathering!
Macarons
Ingredients:
- 2/3 cup almond meal or ground almonds
- 1 ½ cups powdered sugar
- 3 large egg whites, room temperature
- 5 Tbsp. granulated sugar
- 1 tsp. Vanilla extract
Directions:
- Preheat the oven to 280 degrees and position 2 racks in the lower section of the oven. Line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper.
- If your almond meal is very coarse, grind it with the powdered sugar in a food processor until fine. Sift the almond meal-powdered sugar mixture twice though a mesh sieve.
- Place egg whites in a bowl of a stand mixer (or use a hand mixer), and begin to beat on medium-high. When the eggs are frothy, gradually add granulated sugar 1 Tbsp. at a time until fully incorporated. Continue to beat the egg white mixture until glossy and stiff peaks form when you lift the beaters. Gently stir in the vanilla extract. Be careful to not overbeat the meringue.
- Add half of the sifted almond mixture, and gently fold into the meringue using a flexible silicone spatula. Lift from the bottom, up and around the sides, and towards the middle, being careful to not over agitate the meringue and lose too much air. Once the almond mixture is predominately incorporated, add the second half and repeat the folding motion.
- When the almond mixture is just incorporated, you will need to transform the batter in the appropriate texture. Using the spatula, “Punch” down on the center of the batter, then scrape more batter from sides to the center, and punch again. You will need to repeat this 10-15 times until the batter slowly and continuously drips back into the bowl when you scoop it up with the spatula. This of the consistency of molten lava. For the best results, punch the batter a few times, check the consistency, then punch a few more times, etc. Do not make the batter too runny or the macarons won’t rise as they should, and you could end up with oil stains on the surface.
- Pour batter into a pastry bag fitted with 0.4-inch tip. In a pinch, you can use a gallon-sized Ziploc bag: just snip a teeny bit from one of the bottom corners. Twist and clip the top of the bag to avoid overflow. On you prepared baking sheets, pipe out 1-inch rounds.
- Holding the baking sheet in both hands, rap each baking sheet firmly on the counter two or three times. This smooths out the tops and helps for the “pied” or frilly foot on the bottom of the macarons. Allow the piped macarons to dry, uncovered, for at least 15 minutes. The macarons should for very thin, smooth crust where, if you tap it lightly with you finger, the batter will not stick to your finger. If after 15 minutes, the batter is still sticky, let it dry longer.
- Place both baking sheets in the over and bake for 15-18 minutes. After the first 2 minutes, open the over to allow excess humidity to escape. Halfway through, swap oven racks and rotate the sheets for even baking. The macarons are done when they are baked all the way though and the shells are just hard.
Pumpkin Buttercream Frosting
Ingredients:
- 7 tablespoons unsalted butter, softened
- 2 egg yolks
- ¼ cup granulated sugar
- 3 ½ Tbsp. milk
- 1 tsp. vanilla extract.
- 1 ½ Tbsp. pumpkin butter
- 1 tsp. Pasolivo Sugar and Spice Blend
- 1 Tbsp. Pasolivo Tangerine Olive Oil
Directions:
- Cut butter into pieces, and mash with a spatula until the consistency resembles mayonnaise.
- In a small bowl, whisk the egg yolks, then add the granulated sugar, and whisk until the mixture lightens to an off-white and you can no longer see the granules of sugar. Add the milk, and whisk to combine.
- Pour the egg mixture into a small saucepan, and heat over low heat, whisking frequently to ensure that the mixture does not curdle or scorch. Cook until the mixture becomes thick and custardy.
- Pour the egg mixture back into its bowl, and whisk constantly until it returns to room temperature. Whisk the butter in three batches, add the vanilla, and stir until smooth.
- Add the pumpkin butter, Pasolivo Sugar and Spice Blend to the custard and drizzle in the Pasolivo Tangerine Olive Oil and stir until smooth and all ingredients are fully incorporated. Pipe the buttercream onto one macaron half and sandwich between the other.
Recipe adapted from I Love Macarons by Hisako Ogita
