Stovetop Peach Blueberry Crisp (Paleo & Vegan)

“...the girls put their wits to work, 

and necessity being the mother of invention, 

made whatever they needed.” 

-Louisa May Alcott, Little Women. 

Since we don’t have a working oven at my family’s lake cabin in Minnesota, I had to be a little creative when it came to planning meals & treats. We made use of the stove top, outside grill, microwave & slow cooker for the main dishes & vegetables, but dessert was a little more challenging, especially considering my Autoimmune Protocol (AIP) dietary parameters.

There’s something about being around water all day that makes a person extra hungry. And, of course, the “I’m-on-vacation-and-am-allowed-to-splurge-a-little” thinking. In past years, splurging would have meant driving to the nearby gas station for half a gallon of ice cream & a can of Hershey’s syrup, or making s’mores around a beach fire, or eating packages of cookies. But thankfully, my family has been oh so understanding about what I can and cannot eat & they were on board with some AIP & Paleo splurges instead of our normal treats. We brought along some Coconut Milk Ice Cream , and I also made coconut milk panna cotta (with nectarines instead of berries).

Then one day, when the weather was grey, windy & rainy, I wanted to create a dessert that leaned more towards warmth and comfort than to cold & refreshing. We had some peaches that were nearly over-ripe & a bag of frozen blueberries that were originally slated for making smoothies. Almost immediately, the thought of a crisp/crumble came to mind….

But how do you make a crisp without the oven? Easy. First, toast the topping in a skillet, then, once the topping is done & moved to a bowl, cook the fruit on the stovetop. Spoon the cooked fruit into bowls & top with the previously made crumble. Voila, fruit crisp, sans oven :)

I’ve previously made gluten free crisps & crumbles (like this one and this one), but grain free baking is still a new territory to me. I’m still cautious about working with different ingredients, like liquid sweeteners (i.e honey & maple syrup), arrowroot starch, coconut flour, and even coconut oil, but I am attempting to be more brave in my experimentation. It looks like I’ll probably be following some version of Paleo for the rest of my life, so I might as well get use to it :) Fortunately, crisps and crumbles are a bit more forgiving & don’t require quite as much scientific precision as say a cake or cookie needs. 

Since I am in the reintroduction phase of the Autoimmune Protocol & almonds seem to be ok (just in not giant quantities), I used a mixture of coconut flour & almond flour in the topping, but if you’re not yet to reintroducing almonds, using more coconut flour would also work. As I toasted the topping on the stove, several family members could smell its fragrance & came over to see what I was concocting--that’s always a good sign.

When we were ready to eat dessert, I spooned the thickened fruit into bowls & let each person top their own dish with as much crumble as he or she wanted. I’m usually a fan of ice cream on my crisp (or whipped cream), but this time, I splashed a little coconut milk to mimic the creaminess. We were all satisfied by how delicious it was & no one felt deprived by this “healthier” dessert. I’ll be remembering this stovetop method in the future for times when it simply is too hot to turn on the oven :)

Stovetop Peach Blueberry Crisp

serves 4 

42g / 5 Tbl Coconut Flour

56 g / 1/2 c Almond Flour (AIP Modification: omit almond flour & increase coconut flour instead)

1/4 tsp Sea Salt

1 tsp Ground Cinnamon

42 g / 3 Tbl Coconut oil, melted

1.5 oz / 2 Tbl Honey

300 g / 1.5 c Frozen Blueberries (may substitute fresh, but add a little water too)

2 medium-large peaches (around 400g), cut into thin slices, peeling is optional

2.75 oz / 4 Tbl Pure Maple Syrup 

1 Tbl Lemon Juice

1 Tbl Arrowroot Starch 

Coconut Milk, for serving 

1. To make the crumble topping: combine the coconut flour, almond flour, sea salt, and cinnamon in a small bowl.  Drizzle in the coconut oil & honey.  Mix with a fork until crumbly. 
2. Toast the crumble in a large skillet over medium high heat, stirring constantly, for a couple of minutes, or until the crumble begins to brown slightly & smell toasty. Remove from the skillet & set aside. Give the skillet a quick rinse. 
3. To make the filling: add the blueberries and peaches to the skillet. Drizzle with maple syrup and lemon juice  Cook over medium heat until the juices begin to boil. Cover the skillet, reduce the heat to a simmer & cook until the peaches are tender--approximately 10 minutes. Stir occasionally, as needed. Taste & add additional maple syrup if the filling isn’t sweet enough. 
4. Remove 1/2 c of liquid from the pan & place into a small bowl. Into the liquid, stir in the arrowroot, making sure there are no lumps. Add the mixture back to the skillet and cook for an additional minute to allow the fruit to thicken & to cook out any starch flavor from the arrowroot. Remove from the heat. 
5. Just before serving, spoon the fruit into bowls & sprinkle with the crumble topping (note: there may be leftover crumble topping). Top with a splash of coconut milk or a scoop of coconut milk ice cream. 
6. Store any leftover fruit filling in the refrigerator. Keep any leftover crumble topping tightly covered at room temperature. 

This post contains affiliate links. 

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Easter Egg "Cascarónes" Cookies

Last year, my first in a Texas/Mexico border community, I was ushered into a world of a new-to-me Easter tradition: cascarónes. With a quick crack on the top of my head, and a shower of colorful confetti, I officially experienced “cascarónes” aka “confetti eggs.”  Just remember, when cracking cascarónes on someone’s head, use an open palm & crack the egg on the back of the head nowhere near the eyes!

Cascarónes are made by breaking open one end of an egg, disposing of the egg white/yolk, cleaning, drying & decorating the empty shell, then filling it (usually with confetti) & gluing tissue paper over the hole. You can make them yourself (I actually really love this post on Oh Happy Day--such great pictures!)  But, I must confess, around this area, there are SO MANY pre-made very, very inexpensive cascarónes available that I cheated & used the store bought.

While brainstorming Easter cookies (and Easter Traditions), I suddenly remembered that once-upon-a-time, I pinned a recipe for piñata cookies, which featured three layers of baked sugar cookies, with the middle layer hollowed out to make room for candy. When the finished piñata cookie was broken, out poured candy (not too different than a real paper mâché piñata. (side note, I am *really* getting to use the special characters in this post, haha).

I thought about how similar the piñata cookies are with cascarónes, only you don’t traditionally break a cookie over someone’s head--in my world that would be the shameful waste of a good cookie! But I decided to merge the concepts of piñata cookies with the idea of confetti eggs.  And voila, Cascarónes Cookies.

As with any sugar cookie, these do take some time, though much of it is inactive as you wait for things to dry/rest/cool etc. There are tons of absolutely gorgeous easter egg decorated cookies, but I was a bit short on time (I was simultaneously working on this project ). I tried to keep things simple: a white outline flooded with pastel colors & white dots.

One of my biggest challenges (aside from finding time to actually finish these cookies) was finding the right candy to go inside. Because I wanted the cookies to mimic the confetti eggs & have lots of small-ish candy spill out when eaten, I was searching for the smallest size Easter candy possible.  Both my husband and I scoured several stores, with little luck. I thought I would have to settle for mini m&ms (whose primary colors sort of clashed with my already-decorated pastel cookie tops), but then I discovered a gem in a craft store in San Antonio: chocolate covered sunflower seeds! And they were pastel for Easter!  Win! (Side note: I am also no longer allowed to buy chocolate covered sunflower seeds because I cannot seem to stop eating them).  

Really, this concept could translate to most any cookie design, but I do have a few recommendations.  First, make sure your cookie dough is one that holds its shape very well when baked--my recipe (listed below) doesn’t have baking soda or baking powder in it, so it doesn’t spread or puff.  The cookie dough should be slightly thicker (especially for the middle layer) than you may normally roll it, but that will ensure a sturdy cookie, with plenty of space for candy.  Feel free to substitute whatever small candy fits inside.

Secondly, royal icing does dry really hard and the first couple of bites into the cookie can be a little challenging. If making these for kids, I’d recommend having the parents help to “open” the cookie for the child.

Sugar Cookie Dough 
(sorry, I don’t have volume measurements for this recipe!) 

200 g Unsalted Butter, at room temperature
200 g Granulated Sugar
1 egg, room temperature
1 tsp Vanilla Bean Paste
Generous Pinch of Sea Salt
380 g AP Flour (increase to 400 g, if live in a humid area)--

1.  Cream together the butter and sugar in the bowl of a mixer fitted with the paddle attachment.  Mix on low speed until completely combined. Scrape down the sides of the bowl. 
2. Add the egg and vanilla and mix again on low speed until just combined. Be careful not to incorporated too much air into the dough.  
3. Add the flour and salt. Mix on low speed until the flour is just incorporated and the dough forms a ball. 
4. Wrap the dough in plastic wrap & flatten into a disc.  Refrigerate a minimum of 30 minutes (thought overnight is best).  Rolling/baking/decorating instructions will continue below.  

Gluten Free Adaptation: May also substitute Jeanne's GF AP Flour mix to make a gluten-free version. 

Royal Icing 
half recipe courtesy of Sugarbelle  

Note: I’ve recently switched to this new royal icing! I find it’s easier to make & works better. 

1lb (half of a bag) of confectioners’ sugar
27 g / 2.5 Tbl Meringue Powder
1 to 1.5 tsp oil-free extract or emulsion (I used imitation almond this time, with a tiny bit of vanilla)
3 oz Warm Water

1. In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, stir together the sugar and meringue powder. 
2. Meanwhile, add the flavoring to the warm water. 
3. While the mixer is still running on it’s lowest setting, slowly add the water/flavoring. 
4. Increase the mixer speed to medium and mix for 2 to 4 minutes, or until the icing is fluffy and thick. Ideally mix only until the icing will hold a soft peak.  
5. Store icing in an airtight container with a wet paper towel pressed into the surface.  
6. Color the icing as needed. 

Cookie Baking

• Preheat the oven to 350 F. Line two baking sheets with parchment paper
• Roll out the cookie dough evenly between two layers of parchment. The dough should be rather thick--mine were around 1/4 inch.  

• Use a large oval cookie cutter (oval cutter)  to cut out 10 ovals. Place the ovals onto a baking sheet. 

• Use a slightly smaller oval to press a slight “guide line” indentation into the tops (5 total), if desired, to later help with piping the icing. 
• Bake the large ovals for 10 minutes, then rotate the pan and bake for approximately 10 more minutes. Due to their thick nature, these cookies may take a bit longer than others.... The cookies should be done, but not yet developed any color. Once baked, allow the cookies to cool completely. 

• Meanwhile, re-roll, if necessary, and cut out 5 more large ovals.  Place those onto the second prepared baking sheet & refrigerate until firm (approximately 10 to 20 minutes.  Use a smaller oval to cut out the centers of each cookie (to leave room for candy later), and use a small offset spatula, if necessary, to remove the middle.  The middle cookies and the small ovals can be baked on the same baking pan.  Refrigerate for 10 minutes. 
• Bake the second sheet for 10 minutes, then rotate the pan and bake for approximately 8 more minutes. 
• Re-roll any scrap pieces & cut them into any shapes you like. 

Decorating & Assembly

• Match up two large cookies with one middle cookie. 
• Using a #3 round tip & thick white icing, outline the top cookies.  Allow to dry at least 30 minutes. Do the same with any small ovals too (or other shapes made from re-rolled scrap pieces). Save the remaining white icing for the cookie assembly 
• Flood the inside of the outlined cookie with a pastel colored icing. Use a toothpick or scribe tool to coax the icing into all areas of the cookie. Swirl to release any air bubbles. Quickly pipe white polka dots into the wet icing.  Allow to dry several hours (though overnight is best). 

• When ready to assemble the cookies, gather the reserved white icing, the prepared (and dried) cookies, and whatever candy you’ve chosen for the filling (I used chocolate covered sunflower seeds. 

• Pipe a ring of icing near the edge of the bottom cookie, taking care not to pipe too close to the edge, or the icing may drip off the sides. 

• Gently top with the middle cookie. Allow to dry at least 30 minutes. 

• Fill the center cavity with the candy 

• Pipe royal icing on the cookie ring.  Top with the decorated cookie & press gently to adhere.  Allow to dry at least 1 hr.  

• Decorated cookies will keep for several weeks, if wrapped well with plastic wrap and/or stored in an airtight container.  

This post contains affiliate links. 

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International Waffle Day 2014

Happy International Waffle Day!  Not be confused with National Waffle Day in the US--that’s celebrated in August. Perplexed much? Me too. But I’ll take whatever excuse necessary to celebrate waffles!

I’ve been out of town and/or sick the past week, so in lieu of a new recipe, I thought I’d post a waffle round up. We really like waffles around these parts. I make them at least once a month. Just because you may have missed out on celebrating International Waffle Day for breakfast doesn’t mean you have to miss out entirely--you can always fire up the waffle iron for “brannier” (aka breakfast-for-dinner).

One final note before we get to the main event (copious amounts of waffles), not all these recipes were originally gluten free, but if you’ve made a batch of Jeanne’s GF AP flour mix, you can substitute that in equal amounts for the AP flour in any recipe to make  that recipe GF.  Pretty nifty.  And vice versa.... if you’re not GF but the recipe is, just substitute regular AP flour for the GF flour and you’ll be all set.

Confetti Waffles a la mode

Zucchini Bread Waffles with Maple Cream Cheese 

Coconut Waffles 

Almond Flour Waffles with Honey Butter Syrup and pears (GF) 

Cranberry Waffles with Orange Sauce (GF) 

Banana Waffles (GF) 

Cornmeal Waffles with Blueberry Nectarine Maple Compote (GF) 

Chocolate Waffles with Ice Cream and Chocolate Sauce (GF) 

And who could forget the waffle doughnuts

Vanilla Bean Waffle Doughnuts (GF) 

Pumpkin Spice Waffle Doughnuts (GF) 

Hopefully that gives you a few waffle recipe ideas? And hopefully I won’t be sick for too much longer & can get back to the kitchen soon.....

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Mickey Mouse Macarons & Disney Princess Macarons (GF)

I only hope that we don’t lose sight of one thing -

 that it was all started by a mouse. 

-Walt Disney

This past weekend, I had the pleasure of visiting Walt Disney World with my sisters. Our trip had three main purposes... First, to have an awesome sisters weekend! Second, to cheer and support my sister Jennifer as she ran the 2014 Disney Princess Half Marathon. And third, to experience actual Walt Disney World for the first time!  

right photo credit: Disney World Photographer as part of the Memory Maker program

Yes, we twenty-something ladies had never before been to Disney World! And I had never attended a race anything remotely like the Disney Princess Half Marathon. 25,000-ish runners!  Wow!  So inspirational to see all the runners, many in costume, complete such an impressive feat! 

photo credit: Jennifer Vein

It only made sense to also concentrate on doing as many princess-y things as possible during the trip, since the race was princess themed, and after all we are ladies who grew up watching princess movies.  We may have looked a little silly as adults with no children standing in lines to meet & take photographs with the princesses, but seriously, you only get to experience your first Disney visit once (even if you are a grown up).

I also wanted to take along a special Disney-themed treat for the three of us to eat while in FL... Something that was gluten free, since a couple of us have been watching our gluten intake. I settled on one of my favorites: French Macarons, but not just plain ones….

I created 5 special macaron styles: Mickey Mouse shaped and 4 varieties inspired by our favorite Disney princesses. Unintentionally, we happened to take pictures with these 4 favorite princesses during the trip too!

Cinderella-inspired Macarons: blue shells with spiced pumpkin filling

Inspired by Cinderella's carriage turning into a pumpkin at midnight! 

right photo credit: Disney World Photographer as part of the Memory Maker program

Beauty and the Beast-inspired Macarons: yellow shells with chocolate ganache

Inspired by Belle's party dress

left photo credit: Disney World Photographer as part of the Memory Maker program

Mulan-inspired Macarons: green shells with cherry almond filling

Inspired by Mulan's touching conversation with her father in a cherry blossom orchard following her humiliation at the matchmakers. 

 right photo credit: Disney World Photographer as part of the Memory Maker program

Sleeping Beauty-inspired Macarons: pink shells with raspberry cheesecake filling

Inspired by Aurora's dress & her explorations in the forest (where she could have foraged for berries)

left photo credit: Disney World Photographer as part of the Memory Maker program

After photographing the macarons at home, I carefully packaged them in bubble wrap and a sturdy box & transported them in one of my carryon pieces of luggage. They made a great extra treat during our stay (and were also something that didn’t cost a fortune to buy within the parks).

photo credit: Disney World Photographer as part of the Memory Maker program

The trip itself was magical.  “Magical” is such a common cliche when referring to Disney, but honestly, I can’t think of a better, more applicable adjective. 

We knew the time would be short and that marathon activities (as well as preparations before and recovery afterwards) would take precedent. With less than three days of active park time, there was no possible way to see everything, so we concentrated on the Magic Kingdom (the quintessential Disney experience) and Epcot.  

I cannot say enough good things about MyDisneyExperience (which also is an app for your phone!!) and the new FastPass+ system/Magic Bands. Through MyDisneyExperience, we pre-scheduled a few FastPass+ options for the really popular things (i.e. Enchanted Tales with Belle, Peter Pan’s Flight, Under the Sea, Pirates of the Caribbean, Jungle Cruise, Big Thunder Mountain Railroad, Mission: Space, Maelstrom, etc...). Because we were a little late in trying to make dining reservations (oops!), we ended up winging it and doing more quick service/casual dining options instead. But winging it allowed us to share small items at many different places as we walked through the parks. Like Micky Mouse shaped cake pops and rice krispy treats :) My one food regret from the Magic Kingdom is not trying a Dole Whip--the line was too long.  

Throughout the Disney parks, there is no shortage of Mickey Mouse-shaped things, food included...

In several of the bakeries/gift shops we were able to watch cast members prepare some of the desserts, like dipping the cake pops and caramel apples.

My favorite non-Micky Mouse-shaped food experiences came in the World Showcase area of Epcot. We visited Epcot for a few hours on our last day before flying back to our respective cities. 

We only saw just an overview of all the countries, but we were able to take a few food breaks.  In the Morocco area, we stopped for some much needed caffeine and to share a tangerine sponge cake roll.  In the England area, we shared fish and chips for lunch. 

Just before leaving, I dashed back to the France area to pick up a few items from the Les Halles patisserie.   

 I couldn’t resist trying one of their raspberry macarons, (though I do think I preferred my macarons to theirs).

Sadly, all great things must come to an end, including this fantastic sisters trip. Already, I’m dreaming of going back... I’m hoping to participate in one of the in the next couple of years? Perhaps not the half marathon, but maybe the 5k or the 10k. I even bought a race shirt to help motivate me to train. And there are still parks left to explore (we didn’t even try to go to Hollywood Studios or the Animal Kingdom or any of the water parks). In addition to starting training, I’d better start scheming another Disney dessert for the future trip! Until next time, Disney World… You were truly magical and inspirational. 

Disclaimer: This post has absolutely no official affiliation with Disney.  All thoughts are purely my own. Photos taken by Disney were personally purchased through their Memory Maker program. No compensation was received for this post, other than the magical memories :) 

Macaron Base

Note: If you want to make all 4 colors, plan to make this recipe twice. Cut each batch in half and color each half of a batch one color. 

It is VERY IMPORTANT to have ALL YOUR MIS-EN-PLACE in place BEFORE beginning.... Ingredients measured, pastry bags/tips prepared, sheet pans lined (with printed out guides underneath the parchment paper, food coloring out, spatulas/bowls/scales handy etc....

180g Almond Flour

240 g Confectioners Sugar

3 g Meringue Powder

2 g Salt

80 g Sugar 

140 g Whites, room temperature 

1/2 tsp Vanilla Bean Paste (or other oil-free flavoring) 

AmeriColor Gel Paste Food Color

Blue shells (Cinderella) 2 drops sky blue 

Green shells (Mulan) 7 drops lemon yellow, 2 drops leaf green 

Yellow shells (Belle) 5 drops lemon yellow

Pink shells Aurora) 2 drops deep pink 1 small drop ivory 

1. Prepare sheet pans 5 half sheet pans (or 4 half sheet pans, plus two quarter sheet pans) by lining them with parchment paper. Place guides for 1) full Mickey heads, (print this file) 2) Regular macarons (print this file) underneath the parchment paper. 
2. Prep 4 piping bags. Fit one with a large round tip (I used an Ateco 804) Note: I only have one 804 tip, so I had to wash it between colors. 
3. Combine almond flour and confectioners sugar in food processor and pulse to combine & break up any larger almond particles. Divide the dry ingredients into two bowls, each weighing 210 g. 
4. In a small bowl, combine the meringue powder, salt and sugar. Mix well to incorporate all the meringue powder. 
5. Whip the egg whites in the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the whisk attachment. Mix first on medium speed.  Once the whites begin to get foamy, gradually add the sugar/meringue powder/salt mixture, and then increase the mixer speed to high.  Mix until stiff peaks form. Add the vanilla bean paste & mix until just combined. 
6. Remove the meringue from the mixer and divide into two bowls, each weighing around 112 g.
7. Add the desired color to one meringue bowl and briefly swirl in with a spatula. Add one bowl of the divided dry ingredients at once and mix until everything is completely combined into a shiny mass & the mixture forms ribbons that will dissipate.  Remember, you can always add more folds later, but you cannot take them back!  
8. Test the mixture by piping a test shape.  If the piped shape holds a peak (like a hershey's kiss) that will not dissipate after you bang the sheet pan on the counter, the mixture needs a little more folding before the rest of the shells are piped. 
9. Pipe shells onto the appropriate sheet pans. Bang the pans of piped macarons on the counter. 
10. Repeat steps 7 to 9 with the second bowl of bowl of meringue. Then, repeat the whole recipe again to make 2 more colors, if desired. 
11. Allow the shells to dry 45 mins to 1 hr, depending on the humidity. The shells are ready to bake when they have developed a skin and are dry on top. 
12. Preheat the oven to 350 F. Bake one pan at a time.  As soon as the pan is placed in the oven, drop the temp down to 300 F. Bake for 10 minutes, rotate the pan and bake another 8-10 minutes, depending on the size of the shells. The pans with the smaller ones will take less time than the pans with the full Mickey heads. 
13. Allow the shells  to cool on the sheet pan. 
14. Fill with appropriate filling (see recipes below) and refrigerate at least 24 hrs to allow flavors to meld. Macarons filled with the fillings below will keep over a week in an airtight container in the refrigerator. 

Filling Recipes

• I had roughly 8 oz of Swiss Meringue Buttercream leftover from the Pistachio Raspberry Cake, but if you don't have leftover icing, I've included the recipe at the bottom.  
• If you plan on making all fillings, I suggest making them in the order I've listed here. 
• I created a fifth hybrid filling by mixing leftover Belle Ganache with leftover Aurora Raspberry filling. It was super delicious & I used it to fill the macarons that had different colored tops & bottoms you see in the below image. 

Mulan’s Cherry Almond Filling

4 oz Swiss Meringue Buttercream, room temperature

3 oz Cherry Preserves

1/4 tsp Almond Extract

2 drops Pink coloring (optional) 

1. Mix all ingredients well. Transfer the mixture to the refrigerator and chill for 20 minutes. Mix. If the filling has thickened enough to pipe, place into a piping bag (or a ziplock bag with the corner cut off) and pipe a little onto the bottom of a green macaron. Top with a second macaron & press lightly to adhere. 
2. Refrigerate for at least 24 hrs to allow flavors to develop before serving. Store leftover macarons in the refrigerator for up to one week.

Aurora's Raspberry Cheesecake Filling

2 oz Swiss Meringue Buttercream

2 oz Seedless Raspberry Jam

1/2 tsp Cream Cheese Emulsion

1.  In a small microwave safe bowl, heat the buttercream and raspberry jam until melted. Stir until well combined. Add cream cheese emulsion.  
2. Transfer the mixture to the refrigerator & chill for 20 minutes. Mix. Refrigerate 20 more minutes.  If the filling has thickened enough to pipe, place into a piping bag (or a ziplock bag with the corner cut off) and pipe a little onto the bottom of a green macaron. Top with a second macaron & press lightly to adhere. 
3. Refrigerate for at least 24 hrs to allow flavors to develop before serving. Store leftover macarons in the refrigerator for up to one week.
4. Mix leftover raspberry filling with leftover ganache for an amazing hybrid filling. 

Belle's Chocolate Ganache Filling

4 oz Heavy Cream 

4 oz Dark Chocolate, chopped {I used 60% chocolate} 

1. In a small saucepan, heat the cream until it just simmers. 
2. Pour the hot cream over the chocolate, let sit for a minute, then whisk until all the chocolate is melted & the mixture emulsifies into one mass. 
3. Transfer the mixture to the refrigerator and chill for 20 minutes. Mix. If the ganache has thickened enough to pipe, place it into a a piping bag (or a ziplock bag with the corner cut off) and pipe a little onto the bottom of a yellow macaron. Top with a second macaron & press gently to adhere. If the ganache is still runny, refrigerate longer, stirring every 10 minutes. 
4. Refrigerate the filled macarons for at least 24 hrs to allow flavors to develop before serving. Store leftover macarons in the refrigerator for up to one week.
5. Mix leftover ganache with leftover raspberry filling for an amazing hybrid filling. 

Cinderella’s Spiced Pumpkin Filling

3 oz Swiss Meringue Buttercream, room temperature 

0.35 oz Brown Sugar

3 oz Canned Pumpkin Puree

1/4 tsp Cinnamon

1/8 tsp Nutmeg, freshly ground, if possible

1/8 tsp Ground Ginger

1/2 tsp Vanilla Bean Paste

1. Mix all ingredients well. Place into a piping bag (or a ziplock bag with the corner cut off) and pipe a little onto the bottom of a blue macaron. Top with a second macaron & press gently to adhere. 
2. Refrigerate for at least 24 hrs to allow flavors to develop before serving. Store leftovers in the refrigerator for up to one week. 

Swiss Meringue Buttercream

4 oz Egg Whites

8 oz Granulated Sugar

12 oz Unsalted Butter, softened to room temperature 

splash Vanilla Extract

1.  In a very clean metal mixing bowl (preferably one that attaches to a stand mixer), whisk together the egg whites and granulated sugar. 
2. Place the mixing bowl over a small sauce pan of simmering water to make a double boiler.  Continue whisking the whites and sugar until all the sugar has dissolved and the mixture reaches at least 140 F on an instant read thermometer.  
3. Remove the top bowl (being careful not to burn yourself on the hot metal of the bowl or on any drips from the hot condensation on the bottom of the bowl) & attach to a stand mixer. Fit the mixer with the whisk attachment. Whip on high speed until a fluffy meringue forms & the bowl cools to room temperature. 
4. Once the meringue cools completely, lower the speed of the mixer to medium and begin adding the butter, one tablespoon at a time. 
5. After the butter has all been added, scrape down the sides of the bowl and add the vanilla. Mix on medium high speed just to ensure everything is combined. 
6. Hold the icing at room temperature until ready to use. 

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