Thursday, October 10, 2013

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

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! 



7 comments:

  1. they are sooo perfect! I trust what you said and I think I'll make them soon, even if I don't believe they would come out as cute as yours :P
    A big hug :)

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    Replies
    1. Hi Laura!! If you do make these, I would love to know how they came out for you! If you have any questions, please let me know! Thanks for the kind words and for being such a sweet follower!! Big Hugs to you!! Jina

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  2. These look divine!! I can imagine the aroma with the tea is almost as wonderful as tasting them. Thanks for the recipe.
    Blessings,
    Susie

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    Replies
    1. Thanks so much!! These are the perfect macaron for this time of year! They would be perfect for any Autumn get together! Thanks for visiting!!! xo Jina

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  3. Oh my goodness, those look INCREDIBLE! Hopefully my inconsistent oven will cooperate while I try my hand at these. Thank you for the recipe & lovely photos! :)

    - dani @ sage and spice

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    Replies
    1. Hi Danielle! I have an inconsistent oven as well, but somehow I'm able to make pretty decent macarons! Give them a try! As long as you have the right materials - a good baking sheet, a piping bag, a sifter and aged egg whites, you're good to go! The template helps and using the drying tip! Good luck and thanks so much for the kind comments!! xo Jina

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  4. Oh my gosh!!! I found this yesterday looking for a macaron recipe and may I please just say that I LOVE YOUR BLOG!!! And all of the fabulously delicious things you have posted here! Swoon!! I want to visit your tea house! What a lovely, beautiful, girly, fun place you have here!! Thank you so much for these great inspirations!!

    Be Blessed!

    Gina

    ReplyDelete