Pumpkin Seed Macarons w/ Apple Butter
Makes 24 macarons
Ingredients
For Apple Butter
- 1 lb apples, cored & roughly chopped
- 1 cup apple cider
- zest of 1 lemon
- ¼ vanilla bean pod, seeds scraped
- ⅛ tsp ground ginger
- ½ cup sugar
- pinch of salt
For Meringues
- ½ cup toasted pumpkin seeds
- 1 cup powdered sugar
- 2 egg whites, room temperature
- pinch of kosher salt
- ¼ cup sugar
How-to
Make Apple Butter
- Combine all components in a medium saucepan
- Cover and bring to boil over high heat, then reduce to simmer and cook until apples fall apart, about 10 minutes
- Remove vanilla pod
- Transfer apple mixture to a blender and puree until uniform. Some small bits of apple peel and lemon rind will remain, that's okay
- Return to the pot, add sugar and bring to a simmer over medium heat, stirring frequently until thick enough to mound on a plate, about 15 minutes
- Cool completely before spreading on meringues
Make Meringues
- Preheat oven to 350°
- Pulse pumpkin seeds in a food processor to make a coarse meal. Add powdered sugar and continue processing until finely ground. Sift into a medium bowl, breaking up all lumps with a rubber spatula
- In a standing mixer, begin whipping whites on medium speed until foamy. Add sugar slowly, 1 tbsp at a time
- Once that sugar is incorporated, increase speed to high and beat until the egg whites become glossy and hold firm peaks
- Gently fold in ⅓ of the sugar/seed mixture at a time and continue folding until no white streaks remain
- Transfer to a piping bag. Line a sheet tray with parchment papaer and pipe 1" circles of the batter, leaving at least ½" between each mound. Gently rap the sheet on the counter to flatten them out, then bake 13 minutes. Cool completely before peeling from the parchment
- Use an offset spatula, smear a thin layer of apple filling on the bottom of one meringue and top with another. It is best to let sit 2-3 hours for the filling to stick to the cookie, Store in an air-tight container for up to 1 week