Description

This Pistachio Macarons recipe features delicate, nutty macaron shells made with almond and pistachio flours, paired with a luscious Ladurée-style pistachio buttercream filling. Perfect for an elegant dessert or a special treat, these macarons require precise technique to achieve their smooth, shiny tops and chewy texture.

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

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

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Instructions

Preheat and Prepare Baking Sheets: Preheat the oven to 300°F (150°C). Line two baking sheets with parchment paper, Teflon sheets, or silicone mats.
Prepare Dry Ingredients: Sift almond flour, pistachio flour, and powdered sugar together twice. Discard any chunky bits left in the sifter after sifting.
Make Meringue: In a clean mixing bowl with a whisk attachment, combine egg whites, granulated sugar, cream of tartar, and salt. Beat on medium speed until soft peaks form, about 30-40 minutes.
Add Color and Finish Meringue: Add a drop of green gel food coloring. Continue beating on medium-low speed until hard peaks form; the meringue will ball up on the whisk and hold sharp, pointy peaks.
Fold Dry Ingredients into Meringue: Sift the dry ingredients again into the meringue. Using a silicone spatula, fold gently but thoroughly until the batter is fully incorporated and runny enough to draw a figure eight.
Test Batter Consistency: Drop a small amount of batter into the bowl; small peaks should dissolve within about 10 seconds. If not, fold a few more times and test again without over-folding.
Pipe Macaron Shells: Transfer batter to a pastry bag fitted with a round tip. Pipe 1.5-inch rounds about an inch apart onto prepared baking sheets, using a macaron template if desired.
Remove Air Bubbles and Rest: Tap baking sheets firmly on the counter a few times to remove air bubbles. Use a toothpick to pop large bubbles. Let macarons rest on the counter for 15 minutes before baking.
Bake Macarons: Bake one sheet at a time on the middle rack for 18 minutes. Place an empty baking sheet on the top rack to prevent browning.
Check Doneness: Lightly touch a macaron; if it slides and wobbles, bake for about one more minute. Macarons should be firm with stable bases. Cool completely before removing from mats.
Make Pistachio Creme Filling: In a small saucepan, combine sugar and water. Boil over medium heat, stirring until sugar dissolves, then cook until syrup reaches 250°F (120°C), about 5 minutes.
Beat Egg Yolks: While syrup cooks, beat egg yolks with whisk attachment until doubled in size and pale, about 2 minutes.
Incorporate Hot Syrup: Slowly pour hot syrup down the side of the yolk bowl while mixer runs on low speed. Increase speed to medium-high and beat until mixture cools to 104°F (40°C) and becomes smooth and white.
Add Butter and Pistachio Paste: Stir in butter, pistachio paste, and optional food coloring. Beat until smooth and creamy. Transfer filling to a pastry bag fitted with a round tip.
Assemble Macarons: Pair shells by size, placing bottom shells upside down on a wire rack. Pipe filling onto bottom shells and place top shells gently on top. Press lightly to spread filling evenly.
Mature and Serve: Store filled macarons in an airtight container in the fridge for at least 24 hours to mature. Bring to room temperature about 30 minutes before serving.

Notes

Use super fine almond flour to ensure smooth macaron tops; weigh ingredients before sifting.
Homemade pistachio flour can be made by pulsing pistachios in a food processor and sifting out fine pieces.
Do not substitute powdered sugar with homemade as commercial powdered sugar contains cornstarch which improves cookie texture.
Use fine granulated or caster sugar in the meringue to ensure it dissolves quickly.
Cream of tartar is optional but helps stabilize meringue for sturdier shells.
The folding technique is crucial; about 50 folds are typically needed before testing batter consistency.
To prevent macaron browning, place an empty baking sheet on the top rack while baking.
Store filled macarons in the fridge up to 5 days or freeze after maturing for up to 3 months.
Bring macarons to room temperature before serving to enhance flavor and texture.

Nutrition

Serving Size: 1 filled macaron
Calories: 110 kcal
Sugar: 10 g
Sodium: 15 mg
Fat: 7 g
Saturated Fat: 3 g
Unsaturated Fat: 3 g
Trans Fat: 0 g
Carbohydrates: 10 g
Fiber: 1 g
Protein: 2 g
Cholesterol: 25 mg