fall into the mac – chocolate macaron w pumpkin cream
With Thanksgiving behind us and Fall rapidly fading, we all have fresh memories of the season. Over the past few weeks, there were non-stop online chatter and food shows about favorite dishes for the holiday season. Besides turkey, most of the recipes depend on harvest produce— squashes, pumpkins, apples, pears, plus hearty greens such as Swiss chards, kale, potatoes, and sunchokes.
Perhaps more important than the harvest produce is the alluring scent of spices used to cook them. Cinnamon, nutmeg, all spice, and clove carry you to an Americana of childhoods past and family kitchens.
Having grown up with different kitchen aromas (see post Remembrance of Flavors Past), I have learned to embrace and associate these flavors at this time of year. When it comes to fall, it’s all about pumpkin, for me. From the flavor to its texture, pumpkin has the color of an autumnal sunset that calls for harvest celebrations. Since I made Pumpkin Mousse Tartlets to get a taste of Fall, I thought I’d reinvent the flavor profile as a macaron for Mactweets’ MacAttack #13. Instead of a chocolate tart shell, I used a delicate crisp chocolate macaron shell. A pumpkin cream filling replaces the pumpkin mousse, while orange zest still brings a hint of brightness.
Chocolate Macarons with Pumpkin Cream
Ingredients:
Chocolate Macaron recipe
Pumpkin Cream
- 4 ounces cream cheese, room temperature
- 8 tablespoons (4 ounces/1 stick) unsalted butter, room temperature
- 1/2 cup (2 ounces) confectioners’ sugar
- 1/4 cup canned solid pack pumpkin
- 1 teaspoon orange zest, freshly grated
- Pinch of ground cinnamon
- Pinch of fresh grated nutmeg
Directions:
Pumpkin Cream
1. In the bowl of a mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, add cream cheese, butter and confectioners’ sugar; beat until smooth, about 3 minutes. Add pumpkin, orange zest, cinnamon, and nutmeg; beat until incorporated.
Assembly
Sandwich flat side of macarons together with a generous teaspoon of Bittersweet Mocha Ganaché. Layer macarons between sheets of parchment in an airtight container and let stand at room temperature at least 2 hours to soften before eating.
Recipe Notes
Filled macarons can be kept in an airtight container wrapped in plastic wrap, chilled 2 days or frozen 1 month. Bring to room temperature in wrapped container (to avoid condensation), about 1 hour if chilled or 2 hours if frozen.
These came out perfect! Look at them! Glad you are promoting the chocolate/pumpkin combo as well! Love it!
I’d trade my husband for just one of those! I never thought of combining chocolate with pumpkin, but I imagine it works very well. Thanks for sharing.
Wow sounds heavenly!! Looks like they came out perfect, the photos are great. hope you enjoyed your holiday.
Ken they are absolutely gorgeous!
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They’re beautiful. Please have one for me!
These are such beautiful macarons. I love the addition of the orange to the pumpkin cream filling. Nice!
Oh, fancy feet!
Hi Ken! Another great recipe…another beautiful presentation. I love visiting your site because each of your posts contain such quality material! Thank you for sharing. Once I conquer my fear of making macarons, these will be the first on my list!
Oh Ken, that is what you should have sent my way yesterday for me to have with tea, Were you holding back reluctant to share?! :) I know you would have my dear friend Ken!! Love ya! Shulie
Those babies belong on the Mac catwalk for sure!
Hi Ken-these are beautiful macs…you are so talented in making them. Chocolate and pumpkin is a delicious and tempting combination :)
OMGoodness, Love these macarons. You’re really awesome at making these delightful treats. And I just realized that I saw you at the FB festival and it occurred to me that you’re the one. The macaron king! I wish I could have picked your brain a bit. Nicely done as always!~
You did good rabbit, real good. Jealous of you good. Damn macarons; not yours, mine. :) Three strikes and I put myself out…now I watch from afar and you never disappoint. Beautiful!
It so happens I am making a pumpkin tart with chocolate today. Not kidding! Guess great minds and all, huh? :)
Nice color and flavor combinations for your fall-themed macarons. The pumpkin cream filling sounds delightful! Great idea transforming chocolate-pumpkin tarts into macs.
Look at those feet – love them! Great job on the macs and I love the combination of flavors. Cannot wait to have some time to jump back into my macaroon baking; maybe December!
Hi, Ken. Your macarons are truly delightful, and I don’t think I’ve ever come across this combination (certainly not in France, I’m sure). They appear to be consistent, with such fancy feet. Well done!
Thanks,
Dan
Beautiful Macs Ken..Love the pumpkin filling idea…I made chocolate ones too..maybe its FALLing for Chocolate ;-)
Your macarons have perfect little feet and are so deliciously smooth. Even Laduree wouldn’t have pumpkin cream in their offerings. Beautiful. :-)
mmm these look beautiful!!
LOVE these MacAttacks! A much better version, I’m quite certain :)
Me again, Ken :) I just wanted to clarify – I was referring to yours being better than McD’s Big Mac Attacks…as well as these: http://www.cakespy.com/blog/2010/2/26/mac-attack-macarons-at-mcdonalds-in-paris.html
{ just so you don’t think I’m nutso, but you probably already do :) }
Holy Macarons!! :)) These look delicious!! :)
Greets from bigfatcook
Wow, these are beautiful. Just beautiful!
I recently learned how to make French macarons, courtesy of Helen. :o) I need to practice, practice, practice. Perhaps I’ll investigate what the mactweets thing is all about?!
Cheers to a great week –
[K]
These are gorgeous! I had no idea you were such a Mac Daddy!
Wabbit…these are drop dead gorgeous! That pumpkin cream, spicy with fall warmth, has me enamoured. Sorry I’m here late, but I’m sure you saved one of the 32 for moi? Non?
Mac daddy…tee hee – ♥ it!
Thanks for coming back and ‘falling’ into the mac!
I have yet to make macarons, but you & Catty are convincing me that I need to. Now. I’ve got a few things that I’m on a mission to make by the end of the year: this has now made the list. I’ll keep you updated!
Jax x
Ken, these are gorgeous! You are the Mac King! And I love the filling you created, it is not only perfect with the chocolate but perfect for fall. Lovely! Your macs always take my breathe away!
Oh and Jackie really does need to start making macs!
These macarons are beautiful & I bet they taste amazing!!
First time on your blog, amazing recipes and pics. Wow. Love people who share the passion for food! Keep surviving for food, cheers!