Description
Delightfully crisp on the outside and chewy on the inside, these Pistachio Macarons feature a delicate pistachio-flavored shell paired with a luscious Laduree-style pistachio creme filling. Perfect for special occasions or as an elegant treat, this recipe guides you through creating classic French macarons with a rich nutty twist.
Ingredients
Units
Scale
For Pistachio Macaron Shells:
- 60 g fine almond flour
- 40 g fine pistachio flour
- 65 g powdered sugar
- 70 g egg whites at room temperature
- 75 g fine granulated sugar
- 1/4 teaspoon cream of tartar
- 1/4 teaspoon coarse kosher salt
- 1/8 teaspoon green gel food coloring (Wilton Kelly green recommended)
For Laduree Pistachio Creme Filling:
- 65 g granulated sugar
- 2 tablespoons water
- 2 egg yolks
- 55 g unsalted butter at room temperature
- 20 g pure pistachio paste
Instructions
- Preheat Oven and Prepare Baking Sheets: Preheat the oven to 300°F (150°C). Line two baking sheets with parchment paper, teflon sheet, or silicone mat to prevent sticking.
- Sift Dry Ingredients: Sift together almond flour, pistachio flour, and powdered sugar twice to ensure smoothness. Discard any chunky bits left in the sifter.
- Make Meringue: In a clean mixing bowl, whisk egg whites, granulated sugar, cream of tartar, and kosher salt on medium speed until soft peaks form, about 30-40 minutes. Add a drop of green gel food coloring and continue beating until hard peaks form, indicated by pointed peaks and sharp ribs on the whisk.
- Combine Dry Ingredients and Meringue: Sift the dry ingredients again into the meringue. Gently fold them into the meringue using a silicone spatula until fully incorporated. Continue folding until the batter runs like lava and can draw a figure eight that dissolves within 10 seconds.
- Pipe Macaron Shells: Transfer batter to a pastry bag fitted with a round tip (Wilton 2A recommended). Pipe 1.5-inch rounds spaced about an inch apart on prepared baking sheets, using a macaron template if desired. Tap the trays firmly and use a toothpick to burst large air bubbles. Let the shells rest for 15 minutes at room temperature to form a skin.
- Bake the Macarons: Bake one tray at a time on the middle rack for 18 minutes. Place an empty baking sheet on the top rack to prevent browning. Test doneness by gently trying to move a shell; it should be firm and not wobble. Cool completely before removing from the baking mat.
- Make Pistachio Creme Filling: In a small saucepan, combine sugar and water. Bring to a boil over medium heat, stirring until sugar dissolves, then cook until syrup reaches 250°F (120°C). Meanwhile, beat egg yolks until pale and doubled in size, about 2 minutes. Slowly pour hot syrup into yolks while mixing on low, then increase speed to medium-high and beat until cooled to 104°F (40°C). Stir in butter, pistachio paste, and optional food coloring. Beat until smooth. Transfer to a pastry bag with a round tip.
- Assemble Macarons: Pair shells by size and arrange bottom shells upside down on a wire rack. Pipe filling onto each bottom shell, then gently press the top shell into place to spread filling evenly to the edges.
- Mature and Serve: Store assembled macarons in an airtight container in the fridge for at least 24 hours to mature, allowing flavors to meld and filling to soften shells. Remove from fridge 30 minutes prior to serving.
Notes
- Use super fine almond flour for smooth, glossy macaron tops; weigh ingredients before sifting for accuracy.
- For pistachio flour, pulse shelled pistachios in a food processor and sift to separate fine flour from chunky pieces; reprocess chunkier pieces.
- Commercial powdered sugar is preferred over homemade to benefit from cornstarch that improves texture.
- Use fine granulated or caster sugar in the meringue for quicker dissolution and better stability.
- Cream of tartar is optional but helps stabilize egg whites and create sturdier meringue.
- Homemade pistachio paste enhances flavor and texture; tutorials for making pistachio paste are available.
- Tap baking trays to release air bubbles and use a toothpick to pop large bubbles for smooth macaron shells.
- Resting piped batter before baking is crucial to develop a skin and prevent cracking.
- Allow filled macarons to mature refrigerated for best texture and flavor development.
- Stored in airtight containers, filled macarons keep fresh in the fridge for up to 5 days or can be frozen for up to 3 months after maturing.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 filled macaron
- Calories: 100 kcal
- Sugar: 8 g
- Sodium: 35 mg
- Fat: 6 g
- Saturated Fat: 2.5 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 3 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 9 g
- Fiber: 1 g
- Protein: 2 g
- Cholesterol: 25 mg
