How to make the filling for pumpkin spice macarons with freshly roasted red kuri squash (potimarron) and egg yolks, with flavours of French Autumn or Fall
100g (4oz)roasted red kuri/chestnut pumpkin(about half a small pumpkin)
2teaspoonpumpkin spiceor pain d'épices*
2tablespoonground almonds (almond flour)
100g (4oz)mascarponechilled
Pumpkin Spice Macarons (shells)
120g (4½oz)ground almonds (almond flour)
180g (6oz)icing/confectioner's sugar
100g (3½oz)egg whites(aged for 2-3 days)
65g (2½oz)caster sugar(superfine)
pinchorange (red/yellow) powdered food colouring
1teaspoonpumpkin spice (or pain d'épices)
Instructions
Preheat the oven to 180°C/160°C fan. Cut the kuri squash in 2 and, using only half of it, scoop out the seeds. Cut into slices and place on a non-stick baking sheet, sprinkling with the brown sugar and spice. Cover with aluminium foil and roast in the oven for about 20-30 minutes, depending on the size of the slices. When ready, set aside to cool then purée using a mixer or by hand with a masher. Weigh out 100g of purée.
For the cream, soak the gelatine in cold water for about 15 minutes. In a bowl, hand-whisk the yolks and sugar until creamy. Heat the cream in a saucepan until nearly boiling, then whisk into the yolk mixture then transfer back to the pan over a medium heat, whisking constantly until the sauce thickens (rather like a pastry cream).
Take off the heat, add the gelatine (squeeze of excess water) to the warm cream, whisking until melted then add the purée, ground almonds and spice. Set aside to cool then chill for about an hour.
Hand-whisk in the mascarpone then transfer the cream to a piping bag with a 1cm plain tip. Pipe onto half of the shells then assemble with the remaining macaron shell tops and chill in the fridge.
Notes
Pumpkin Spice: mainly cinnamon with ginger, nutmeg, cloves plus a little allspice. In France it's more popular to use gingerbread spice (pain d'épices) which is similar: cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg, cloves with either cardamom or coriander.Serving: unlike the classic macaron recipes in my books, this recipe is ideal for serving later in the day. Just chill in the fridge for 6 hours. Best eaten within a couple of days. To make the macaron shells, follow the basic French step-by-step recipe in both my books, Mad About Macarons and Teatime in Paris (100g egg whites for about 35 macarons or 70 shells).