Cardamom Caramel Pear Macarons
A deliciously elegant macaron for fall.
Servings: 40 macarons
Ingredients
- 300 g powdered sugar
- 300 g almond flour
- 110 g egg whites
- 1 tsp cardamom powder
- 300 g sugar
- 75 g water
- 110 g egg whites
Pureed Poached Pears
- 1 cup poached pears I used a recipe from Bon Appétit - https://www.bonappetit.com/recipe/poached-pears-with-cardamom-and-saffron I peeled and sliced the pears and poached them, I did not use saffron. Highly recommend - the reduced poaching liquid is beautiful.
Salted Caramel Cream
- 1 stick salted butter softened
- ½ cup caramel sauce
Instructions
- Sift the almond flour and the powdered sugar together. Mix 110 grams of egg whites with cardamom , add to the almond sugar mixture but don't mix. Put water and sugar in a saucepan and heat until it reaches 118 C. Take off heat and cool to 115 C. Add second batch of egg whites to a stand mixer and beat to soft peaks. While mixer is running pour the cooled sugar mixture down the side of the mixer and keep mixing until the meringue cools to 50 C.Fold in the meringue mixture into the almond mixture, practicing your macaronage, in 3 additions until mixture falls from your spatula in a smooth ribbon.Add mixture to a piping bag with a plain tip and pipe into 1 inch rounds on a parchment lined baking sheet. Let shells sit for about 30 minutes to develop a skin.Preheat oven to 350 F. Lower heat to 325 F when you put macarons into the oven. Bake for 12 minutes, opening and shutting oven door quickly at the 8 and 4 minute point (not sure where I got this advice but it seem to work). Take out of oven and place macarons on parchment on wire rack to cool.
- For Poached Pear Puree, roughly puree pear mixture so some chunks are left, not totally smooth.
- For Salted Caramel Cream, beat butter about 8 minutes then slowly incorporate caramel.
- Match up macaron shells into pairs. Place caramel in plain tipped piping bag and pipe on one half of each pair. Using a teaspoon, place a small bit of pear puree on top of caramel. Sandwich pairs together. Store macarons in refrigerator 24 hours. Remove from fridge and let come to room temperature before serving.
Notes
After I made these last night I have a few notes. The batter seemed a little thick, I'm going to research that. I might have overdone it with the pear and the caramel, really good, but maybe a little over the top? They turned out, but not actually beautiful, so I have to figure out how to make them prettier, maybe some glittery or shiny color on the top. Oh yeah, and I forgot that this recipe makes 40 macarons! Next time I'll half it, too much for a Sunday night!