Pistachio macarons with pistachio filling

Serves 40

15 mins prep

25 mins cook

40 mins total

These pistachio macarons have delicate green macaron shells and are filled with homemade pistachio paste.

Do ahead

The night before: Age your egg whites. Place them in a small bowl and cover with plastic wrap. Poke a few holes in the plastic. Refrigerate at least 24 hours or until ready to use. Alternatively cover with a loose lid.
Before you start: Wipe all bowls, baking mats and utensils with vinegar to remove any oils that could deflate your meringue.
Prepare two large piping bags with plain round tips, one for the macaron batter and the other for the ganache filling.

Make the macaron shells

Line baking sheets with parchment paper or silicone baking mats. Fit a piping bag with a plain round tip.
Combine powdered sugar and almond flour in a food processor. Pulse until combined. Sift into a large bowl, discarding any large bits.
In a small bowl, place 55g egg whites and a few drops of green gel food coloring. Beat together until well combined. Pour the whites over the dry ingredients and mix until it is like a thick paste.
Place the other 55g egg whites and salt the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a whisk attachment. Set aside until you prepare the sugar syrup.
In a small saucepan, combine the 150g sugar with the 2 ½ tbsp water and place on medium heat. When it reaches 230°F start whipping the egg whites. When the syrup reaches 244°F, remove from heat and pour into the whipped egg whites while mixing continuously, in a small, slow stream. Continue beating until the bowl has cooled slightly, and glossy stiff peaks have formed.
Add about ½ cup of the meringue to the almond mixture. Mix it in to thin out the almond mixture and make it easier to stir. Then add the rest of the meringue over the almond mixture, and using a silicone spatula, gently fold in until combined and smooth. Work the batter until it flows in very thick ribbons when the spatula is lifted. It is done when it passes the figure 8 check. Do not overmix.
Transfer the mixture to the piping bag. Pipe the batter on the parchment-lined baking sheets in 1-inch circles, evenly spaced one-inch apart.
Bang the baking sheet a few times firmly on your countertop to flatten the macarons and remove air bubbles. Remaining air bubbles can be popped with a wet toothpick or metal cake tester.
Let the macarons dry at room temperature 30-40 minutes, or until skins have formed and they are dry to the touch. Preheat the oven to 300°F.
Bake for 20-24 minutes. Macarons are done when their tops no longer wiggle on their feet. Remove from the oven and let cool before removing from the baking sheet.

Make the pistachio paste

Add the blanched and peeled pistachios to the bowl of a food processor. Blend until they form a smooth but slightly oily clump. This can take 5-10 minutes.
Add the powdered sugar, salt and orange blossom water. Blend until combined. While the processor is running, drizzle in the oil and blend until completely smooth. Season to taste for additional salt.
Add water as needed. Start with less and add more as you see fit. I like mine to be the consistency of peanut butter.
Transfer the mixture to a piping bag fitted with a small plain round tip.

Fill the macarons

Cool shells completely before filling. If the pistachio filling got too hard while it sat, you can heat it in the microwave for 10-15 seconds and/or add a bit of water to loosen it up to a good piping consistency.
Pair off similar size shells. Pipe filling on one shell then sandwich the two similar size shells together.