Pumpkin Macrons

Let the pumpkin baking begin!

Well if you have made these before then you will have had a failures and some causalites..I find aging your egg whites is key and processing the almond flour and confectioner's sugar then sifting get the best results. I also suggest that you have everything prepared and ready before you start mixing I'm talking everything like parchment on your baking sheet and have a pastry bag ready!

 

I added pumpkin spice to my macron recipe and orange food coloring. I add my color to the eggwhite mixture before folding in my almond flour mixture. Most recipes will tell you to mix it in your kitchenaid but I pull the whipped eggs {at a medium-thick whip} and incorpate the dry ingredients. This allows the eggs to stay fluffy for piping.

 

For the filling a mixed in my favorite pumpkin butter!

To my cream cheese icing recipe...Love it!

Harvest Tart

Fall my favorite season is here and so its time for harvest flavors. Every year I do the "staple fall" recipes but I also try at least two new ones. This is a spin on the traditional fruit tarts I did in school.

 

You start off by making your pie crust and fully baking it. Now pie crust is not a friend of mine probably because I love butter and I never use a recipe that involves shortening. My pie crust is hit or miss for that reason. A lot of times I buy pie crust from the store if I know I don't have time to mess with it. Yes its a cop out!

While  the crust is baking I make a bourbon vanilla cream. During the process I have to keep whisking {hence the lack of action shots}.The key element is to whisk until you can whisk no more if you don't incorporate enough air you wont have the stability in the cream

 

Recipe:

2 cups Half and Half and 6 tablespoon  of fine sugar in a sauce pan heat on medium heat until the sugar dissolves and the mixture gets to a low simmer. Meanwhile you WHISK your 6 eggs yolks with 2 tablespoons of sugar for 30 seconds.Add 4 tablespoons of cornstarch  to eggs and whisk again for 60 seconds. Temper your egg mixture the add it to the cream whisking!!!! Then add 1 tablespoon bourbon vanilla and a 4 tablespoons of cold cut butter WHISK! pour mixture into cold stainless steel bowl and put a piece of saran wrap on cream to not form a skin on the cream, Refrigerate at least 4 hours but I do it overnight.

A trick I picked up from school was to paint some melted chocolate with a bit of butter in it on the cooled crust this keeps the crust from getting soggy and just add that yum factor!

I toasted some pecans added brown sugar and coarse salt. Then I chopped very fine and coated the edges of the crust the warm chocolate helps it stick. I then sliced some earthy fruits like peaches, plums, blackberries and apricots.  Everything must be cooled. Fill your crust with cream then design your fruit slices on top. After warm apricot jam and water in a sauce pan to thin it out. Once its like a glaze you paint it on the fruit on top of the tart. This makes it shiny and retards browning. I also think it add sweetness as well! I refrigerate another hour and then serve! Perfect for Thanksgiving :)