Autumn Spiced French Macarons

Today I wanted to make something to celebrate Autumn, 

something with lovely spices in it that would be perfect 

with a cup of Earl Grey! Well my Autumn Spiced French Macarons 

fill the bill!!  A yummy macaron with Autumn spices in the cookie and 

in the buttercream! These macarons definitely say "Welcome Fall!"

With Cinnamon, Ginger, Nutmeg, Allspice, Mace and Cloves, these 

Macarons turned out delicious and my kitchen smelled just like Fall!

Let me show you how I made them!

Let me just say that I don't think Macarons are as difficult to make as 

some say. This misconception causes people to be afraid of making 

them, when they really are very doable! I want to encourage you to give 

them a try! As long as you go right by the directions, you shouldn't have 

any major problems. 

The first thing you do is to gather all of your ingredients together and line 

your baking pan with parchment paper. I use a template placed under the 

parchment paper so that my macarons are all about the same size. You can 

get a printable template by clicking here!

Next, sift together the powdered sugar,  ground almonds and spices. Using an 

electric mixer with a whisk attachment, whip the egg whites with a pinch of 

salt on medium speed until foamy. Increase the speed to high and gradually 

add granulated sugar. Continue to whip to stiff peaks. Add your food coloring 

now, if using, and whip until incorporated. The whites should be firm &

 shiny. With a flexible spatula, gently fold the powdered sugar/almond mixture 

into the egg whites until completely incorporated. Continue folding until the 

mixture "flows like magma." When small peaks dissolve to a flat surface,

 the mixture is ready.

Scoop your mixture into a piping bag fitted with a large round tip. I like to use

disposable piping bags to pipe my macarons and I buy them in bulk. It just 

makes clean-up easier! Pipe the mixture onto your template (but remember 

to remove it before baking). Tap the baking sheet on the counter after piping 

to remove any air bubbles. (if you do have some, just take a moist finger and 

smooth the surface of the macaron). It's at this point that you would sprinkle 

any toppings on the macarons as I did with my Autumn Spices.

The next step is important in order for your macarons to develop "feet"- 

you must let them dry at room temp until they form a skin. The time this step 

takes varies according to humidity, so my little "SECRET" is to put 

the macarons in an air conditioned room with a ceiling 

fan turned on. This speeds the process up greatly!

Bake the macarons in a 325 degree oven for approximately 12 minutes. 

Now hopefully you have a fantastic oven that doesn't overheat or underheat. 

I don't, and I suspect that there are many others like me! So you have to 

know your oven, and know when to bake a little longer than the directions

 say if your oven runs cool, or maybe adjust the temperature a little cooler if 

your oven runs hot. This goes for any baked goodie - not just for macarons. 

Let yours macarons cool, then carefully peel them off the parchment 

paper. If they stick, use a metal spatula to help. Pair up your macarons of 

similar size - they won't all be exactly the same size, even when using a 

template.  Pipe buttercream on half of the macarons then sandwich 

together! Pat yourself on the back because you've done it!

Ingredients:

1 1/4 cup powdered sugar

1 cup almond flour

1 tsp pumpkin pie spice plus more for sprinkling

3 egg whites **the day before (24 hrs) 

 separate your eggs and store the whites at room temperature**

1/4 cup finely granulated sugar

2 drops chocolate brown food coloring

pinch of salt

for instructions please read above

Quick Buttercream Frosting Recipe  

I went by this recipe and added 2 tsp pumpkin pie spice to the mixture

plus 2 drops chocolate brown food coloring

Now, pour yourself a cup of Earl Grey, get a couple of your beautiful 

macarons, put your feet up and have your own little teatime! 

Have a great day!