Pumpkin Spice Macaron Ice Cream Sandwiches

Remember when I basically promised you a new pumpkin recipe every week until your can't stand me anymore? Well I'm keeping good on that promise, keeping you basic bitches happy, and slowly making the rest of you resent this post. Ahh, but I'll win you back. I promise. I was recently tagged in a photo on Instagram of a French macaron ice cream sandwich, so obviously I immediately got to work creating my own version from (almost) scratch. Unless you have time to make homemade pumpkin ice cream (which you definitely should do, and then bring me some), feel free to buy a pint to use for these sandwiches, and devour the rest on the couch watching Netflix reruns of Friends (my favorite past time). Okay, enough with the run on sentence about ice cream. Basically, these are the epitome of fall dessert, and if you have any leftovers, call me. I'll be right over!   

Pumpkin Spice Macaron Ice Cream Sandwiches

Ingredients:

• 1 cup almond flour
• 1 1/4 cup powdered sugar
• 1 tsp. pumpkin pie spice
• 3 egg whites, room temperature
• 1/2 tsp. cream of tartar
• pinch of fine salt
• 1/4 cup superfine sugar
• orange gel food coloring (optional)

Prepare 2 baking sheets with silpat, parchment paper, or macaron specific baking liners. Also, place a piping bag or gallon ziplock bag in a large cup with the top folded over the outsides. This will make it easier when you transfer the batter.

Whisk the almond flour, powdered sugar, and pumpkin pie spice together in a medium bowl. Run the mixture through a fine mesh sieve into a larger bowl. You may have a little bit of almond flour that is too large to fit through the sieve. Discard. This is a very important step if you want the macarons to be smooth.

In a stand mixer or bowl with a hand mixer, whisk the egg whites and the cream of tartar on medium speed until foamy. Increase speed to medium-high and add in the superfine sugar. Whisk until stiff peaks form and the mixture is glossy, about 5-8 minutes more. When you remove the whisk, the whipped mixture should stand up off of the whisk. Add in the orange food coloring and mix until combined.

Fold the egg white and sugar mixture into the almond flour mixture until well combined. The batter should be very fluid and when you lift the batter up with a spatula, it should fold back into itself within a matter of seconds. Lastly, add in the almond extract and mix until combined.

Place the batter into a piping bag or large ziplock bag that you prepared earlier. Cut the tip off, about 1/4-inch. Pipe 1-inch circles about an inch from each other. They should not spread too much, so you can pipe them fairly close together. Once all of the batter has been piped, tap each tray 2-3 times against the counter to release any air bubbles in the batter. Then let the macarons dry out at room temperature for 30 minutes to an hour until they are set and firm to the touch. The length of drying time will vary depending on how humid it is where you are.

Preheat oven to 325 degrees F. Place the 1st tray in the oven on the middle to bottom part of the oven (farthest from the heat source) and cook for 10 minutes, rotating halfway through. The cookies will be just beginning to turn golden. Remove and set on the counter to cool for 2-3 minutes until transferring onto a wire cooling rack. Repeat with the remaining trays of cookies.

Once the cookies are cooled, add a small scoop of pumpkin ice cream onto a cookie, and carefully top with another cookie. Keep in an airtight container in the freezer until serving. Best when served the same day.