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

recipe by hungryrabbitnyc, 2010
make 32-35 macarons

Chocolate Macaron recipe

Pumpkin Cream

4 ounces cream cheese, at room temperature
1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, at room temperature
1/2 cup confectioners’ sugar
1/4 cup canned solid pack pumpkin
1 teaspoon orange zest, freshly grated
Pinch of cinnamon
Pinch of nutmeg

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.

To assemble the macarons
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.

COOKS’ NOTE: 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.

Tagged as: baking, chocolate, dessert, macarons, pumpkin