Description
Delight in these elegant Pistachio Macarons featuring a delicate almond and pistachio shell with a creamy pistachio buttercream filling. Perfect for French dessert lovers seeking a gluten-free treat with a nutty twist.
Ingredients
Scale
Macaron Shells
- 1 cup powdered sugar
- ¾ cup almond flour
- ¼ cup finely ground pistachios (unsalted, shelled)
- 2 large egg whites (room temperature)
- ¼ cup granulated sugar
- ¼ teaspoon cream of tartar
- Green gel food coloring (optional)
Pistachio Buttercream Filling
- ½ cup unsalted butter (softened)
- ¾ cup powdered sugar
- 2 tablespoons finely ground pistachios
- 1–2 teaspoons heavy cream (as needed)
- ¼ teaspoon almond extract
Instructions
- Prepare Baking Sheets: Line two baking sheets with parchment paper or silicone baking mats to prevent sticking and ensure even baking.
- Mix Dry Ingredients: In a food processor, pulse the powdered sugar, almond flour, and finely ground pistachios until finely ground. Sift this mixture into a bowl to remove any large bits, ensuring a smooth macaron shell.
- Make Meringue: In a separate clean bowl, beat the room temperature egg whites until foamy. Add cream of tartar and continue beating until soft peaks form. Gradually add granulated sugar and beat until stiff peaks form. If using, add green gel food coloring and mix just until combined to maintain the meringue’s volume.
- Fold Dry into Meringue: Gently fold the sifted dry ingredients into the meringue using a spatula. Mix carefully until the batter flows like lava and forms a ribbon shape when lifted, signaling the perfect macaronage consistency.
- Pipe Macarons: Transfer the batter to a piping bag fitted with a round tip and pipe 1½-inch rounds onto the prepared baking sheets. Tap the sheets on the counter several times to release air bubbles, which helps in achieving smooth shells.
- Rest Shells: Let the piped macarons rest at room temperature for 30–60 minutes until a dry skin forms on top. This step is crucial for creating the characteristic macaron “feet.”
- Bake: Preheat oven to 300°F (150°C). Bake the macarons for 14–16 minutes, rotating the sheets halfway through baking to ensure even cooking.
- Cool: After baking, let the macarons cool completely on the sheets before attempting to remove them to prevent cracking.
- Prepare Filling: To make the pistachio buttercream filling, beat the softened butter until creamy. Add powdered sugar, ground pistachios, almond extract, and gradually add heavy cream as needed to reach a smooth, fluffy consistency.
- Assemble Macarons: Pipe the pistachio buttercream onto half of the macaron shells, then gently sandwich with the remaining shells.
- Refrigerate and Serve: Refrigerate the assembled macarons for 24 hours for the best texture and flavor fusion. Bring to room temperature before serving to enjoy optimal taste and softness.
Notes
- Ensure egg whites are at room temperature for stable, voluminous meringue.
- Use a kitchen scale for precise measurements to achieve consistent macarons.
- Resting the macarons before baking is essential to develop the characteristic skin and feet.
- Store macarons in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 5 days to maintain freshness.
- Bring macarons to room temperature before serving for optimal texture.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 macaron
- Calories: 110
- Sugar: 11g
- Sodium: 15mg
- Fat: 6g
- Saturated Fat: 2.5g
- Unsaturated Fat: 3g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 13g
- Fiber: 0.5g
- Protein: 2g
- Cholesterol: 10mg
