Pistachio Macarons with Rose Buttercream
Delicious and festive pistachio macarons with rose buttercream - a perfect cookie for the holidays or just about any special occasion.
Yield: 30 macarons
Ingredients
For the pistachio macaron shells
- 150 g confectioner's sugar
- 75 g blanched pistachio flour
- 75 g blanched almond flour
- ¼ tsp kosher salt
- 100 g egg whites, at room temperature
- 79 g sugar
- green gel food coloring, optional
For the rose buttercream
- 1½ cups (3 sticks) unsalted butter, softened
- 4 cups confectioners’ sugar, sifted
- 2-3 tablespoons milk
- 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
- ½ teaspoon rosewater
- pinch of salt
- pink food coloring gel, optional
Instructions
For the pistachio macarons
- In the bowl of a food processor, combine the confectioner's sugar, pistachio flour, almond flour, and salt. Pulse for 3 minutes or until very finely ground. Sift the mixture into a large bowl and discard any bits that are too large to pass through. If there is over a tbsp of lumps in the sifter, then put back in the food processor, pulse, and then sift again. Set aside.
- In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the whisk attachment, beat the egg whites on medium-low speed for 2 minutes or until foamy. Increase the speed to medium and beat for another 2 minutes. Slowly pour in the sugar and beat for an additional minute. Increase the speed to medium-high and beat until medium-stiff peaks for, about 2 minutes. Dip two toothpicks or chopsticks into the food coloring gel and then swirl into the meringue. Beat on medium-high speed until well blended, about 10 seconds.
- Remove the bowl from the mixer and add half of the dry ingredient mixture into the meringue, folding them together by scraping the bottom and sides of the bowl and then lifting the batter up and over onto itself. Rotate the bowl a quarter turn with each fold. It should take about 15 folds for the batter to mix together. Add the remaining ingredients and fold them together in this same way, aiming to knock out some of the air as you fold.
- Once the dry ingredients are well combined, continue folding and testing the consistency of the batter. To do this, lift a scoop of the batter up with your spatula and let it fall back into the bowl. It is ready when it falls from the spatula in a solid ribbon and disappears back into the batter within 10-15 seconds. This can take anywhere between 40-50 folds.
- Scrape the macaron batter into a pastry bag fitted with a half-inch round tip. Line two or three baking sheets with parchment paper. Hold the pastry bag at a 90-degree angle to the parchment-lined baking sheet and pipe it into 1.5-inch round circles, leaving about an inch between cookies. If you have a good consistency then any peaks that form when you lift away the pastry bag should flatten out on their own by the time your'e done piping everything.
- Tap the baking sheets against a flat surface to release any air bubbles.
- Allow the macaron sheets to rest until they form a skin, about 45-75 minutes. While they rest, heat oven to 275F and place an empty baking sheet in the oven. When ready, place a baking sheet with the macarons on top of the preheated baking sheet in the oven. Bake for 24 minutes. Remove to a wire rack and cool completely. Repeat and bake the remaining shells. Allow to cool completely before filling.
For the rose buttercream
- Whip the butter in the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment on medium speed for 8 minutes or until pale and creamy.
- Add in the remaining ingredients and mix on low for 1 minute to combine. Increase the speed to medium and mix for 6 minutes or until light and fluffy.
- Place into a pastry bag fitted with a ½-inch round tip and pipe onto the bottoms of half of the macaron shells. Top each with a second macaron shell. Place an in airtight container and allow to rest overnight in the fridge. Bring to room temperature before serving.
Notes
Recipe by Joanne Eats Well With Others at https://joanne-eatswellwithothers.com/2019/12/pistachio-macarons-rose-buttercream.html