Pistachio French Macarons with Pistachio Ganache

What are French Macarons

French macarons are light, airy cookies made from egg whites, almond flour, and powdered sugar. They have a crispy outside and a chewy inside. Usually, they are filled with ganache, buttercream, or jam. These cookies are known for their smooth tops and ruffled edges. They come in many flavors and colors, making them both tasty and attractive. Originally from France, macarons are now enjoyed all over the world for their unique texture and look.

Ingredients in Pistachio French Macarons

Pistachio Ganache:

• White Chocolate (250g / 8.8 oz): Provides the creamy base for the ganache.
• Heavy Cream (150g / 5.3 oz): Adds richness and smoothness to the ganache.
• Ground Pistachios (50g / 1.8 oz): Gives the ganache its distinct pistachio flavor and texture.

Macaron Shells:

• Room Temperature Egg Whites (90g / 3.2 oz): Whipped into a meringue to give the macarons their light and airy texture.
• Almond Flour (125g / 4.4 oz): Provides the structure for the macaron shells and contributes to their chewy texture.
• Powdered Sugar (125g / 4.4 oz): Sweetens the macaron shells and helps create a smooth batter.
• Caster Sugar (Superfine Sugar) (125g / 4.4 oz): Dissolves easily into the egg whites to stabilize the meringue.
• Cream of Tartar (¼ Teaspoon): Stabilizes the egg whites, helping them to whip up properly and hold their shape.
• Wilton Moss Green Gel Colour: Adds a vibrant green color to the macaron shells, making them visually appealing.

Garnish:

• White Chocolate (30g / 1 oz), melted: Used for drizzling on top of the macarons for added flavor and decoration.
• Ground Pistachios (25g / 0.9 oz): Sprinkled on top of the macarons for garnish and to enhance the pistachio flavor.

How To Make Pistachio French Macarons

Pistachio Ganache:

Blend Pistachios: Use a stick blender or small food processor to grind the pistachios into a fine crumb.

Combine Ingredients: Place the white chocolate and ground pistachios in a heatproof bowl.

Heat Cream: Warm the cream until it's just below boiling point (don't let it boil). Pour it over the chocolate and pistachios.

Melt and Mix: Let the mixture sit for one minute, then stir until the chocolate is completely melted and the ganache is smooth. If there are lumps, microwave for 20 seconds, stir, and repeat if necessary.

Cool: Set the ganache aside to cool to room temperature and thicken. This deliciousness is what transforms plain macarons into Pistachio French Macarons.

Macaron Shells:

Preheat Oven: Preheat your oven to 150°C (300°F).

Sift Dry Ingredients: Sift almond flour and powdered sugar into a bowl, discarding any large bits. Optionally, sift again for a smoother finish.

Beat Egg Whites: In a separate bowl, beat room temperature egg whites on low speed until foamy. At this point, add cream of tartar and beat to soft peaks.

Add Caster Sugar: Gradually add caster sugar in thirds, beating between each addition. Add the gel color. Continue to beat until you reach stiff peaks.

Fold Ingredients: Add the meringue to the sifted almond flour and powdered sugar mixture. Fold with a silicone spatula, scraping around the edges, underneath, and through the middle, until the batter is smooth and glossy.

Check Consistency: Test the batter by lifting it with the spatula. If it flows off in a thick, continuous ribbon and settles back into the bowl smoothly, it's ready. If it falls in thick clumps, continue mixing.

Prepare Piping Bag: Fit a piping bag with a Wilton 2A plain piping tip. Fill the bag with the macaron batter.

Pipe Macarons: Line baking trays with parchment paper. Use a small dab of batter in each corner to stick the parchment paper to the tray. Hold the piping bag at a 90-degree angle and pipe rounds of batter about 3 cm (1.2 inches) in diameter, spacing them about 2 cm (0.8 inches) apart.

Tap and Rest: Tap the trays firmly on the counter to release air bubbles. Use a toothpick to pop any remaining bubbles. Let the piped batter sit for 30-60 minutes until the surface is dry to the touch.

Bake: Bake one tray at a time for 15-18 minutes. Allow the macarons to cool completely on a wire rack before removing them from the parchment paper.

Assemble your Pistachio French Macarons:

Pair Shells: Match up macaron shells of similar size.

Pipe Ganache: Fill a piping bag with the cooled pistachio ganache. Pipe a generous amount onto one shell and lightly press another shell on top to form a sandwich.

Garnish your Pistachio French Macarons:

Drizzle Chocolate: Melt the white chocolate and drizzle it over the tops of the macarons. Sprinkle ground pistachios on top of the melted chocolate.

What does "Maturing the Macarons Mean?

Maturing macarons means letting them sit in the refrigerator for at least 24 hours after you put them together. This resting time helps the filling and the shells blend, improving the texture and flavor. The shells absorb moisture from the filling, making the macarons softer and chewier. Maturing them can also help reduce hollows in the shells, resulting in a more balanced and enjoyable macaron.

Fay's Top Tips

Proper Macaronage Technique: Carefully fold the meringue into the dry ingredients until the batter flows off the spatula in a thick, continuous ribbon like thick cake batter. This ensures the batter is the right consistency for smooth, well-formed shells. Overmixing or undermixing can affect the texture and appearance of the final Pistachio French Macarons.

Sifting Dry Ingredients Thoroughly: Sift the almond flour and powdered sugar at least once, preferably twice, to ensure a fine, lump-free mixture. This step helps achieve smooth macaron shells with a refined texture, preventing any graininess or uneven surfaces on your Pistachio French Macarons.

Flavor Variations

Chocolate Macarons:

• Gel Color: Use brown gel color for the shells.
• Ganache: Make a chocolate ganache using dark chocolate and heavy cream. Similar to our Nonpareil Chocolate French Macarons.

Raspberry Macarons:

• Gel Color: Use pink gel color for the shells.
• Ganache: Make a raspberry ganache by adding raspberry puree to white chocolate ganache.

Lemon Macarons:

• Gel Color: Use yellow gel color for the shells.
• Ganache: Make a lemon ganache with white chocolate and lemon zest or lemon curd.

Coffee Macarons:

• Gel Color: Use a coffee brown gel color for the shells.
• Ganache: Make a coffee ganache by adding instant espresso powder to white chocolate ganache.

Mint Macarons:

• Gel Color: Use a mint green gel color for the shells.
• Ganache: Make a mint chocolate ganache with dark chocolate and peppermint extract.

Orange Macarons:

• Gel Color: Use orange gel color for the shells.
• Ganache: Make an orange ganache with white chocolate and orange zest or orange extract.

More French Macarons - Video Tutorials

• Mocha French Macarons
• Raspberry French Macarons
• Bounty French Macarons