Pistachio Macarons

Posted by - Anuja @ http://simple-baking.blogspot.in/


I have a new obsession these days (and I think 8 out of 10 food bloggers are on the same platform as I m :D)...French Macarons. Having tasted blood with my first batch, I m hungry for more. I want to try every combination possible and the possibilities are endless.

Made Chocolate Macarons next and they too obligingly turned out beautiful. This is my third batch of the temperamental cookie (did I just committed a faux pas by calling it a cookie?....oh well) and I m telling you the cookie is still behaving :D.

As much as I love the traditional almond flavor, this pistachio variation was unexpectedly delicious. More earthy and nutty.  The pistachios add an extra chewiness and also give the macarons beautiful intense flavour.

Everything is just right about these green beauties. The bottoms of the shells are flat and they rose and had "FEET", the texture is extremely chewy with a crunchy exterior, and the flavour is just amazing.

Pistachio Macarons

Refer to my first post on macarons for detailed understanding of the process and weights of ingredients

(will yield around 40 shells of 3 cm diameter)

Ingredients:

35 grams Almond meal 

30 grams Pistachio meal

80 grams icing sugar

40 grams caster sugar

50 grams egg whites (aged for a little over 24 hours on the counter top) 

 Chocolate butter cream

Method:

Preheat oven to 180 degree Celsius. Line a baking tray with non-stick baking paper.

In a large mixing bowl mix the egg whites with an electric hand beater (alternatively you can use a stand mixer with the whisk attachment) until it is thick and frothy. Gradually add the sugar, whisking all the while, until the mixture turns into a thick, glossy and compact meringue. Make sure the the meringue is not over beaten or else it will be too dry.

Process the almond meal, pistachio meal and icing sugar at high speed to achieve a fine powder. Sift (or whisk the powder by hand) to break up any lumps of powder.

Place the dry ingredients into a bowl, then add a few drops of the green food coloring. Add the meringue and give it a quick fold. You don't need to be gentle, but the goal is to incorporate the dry ingredients quickly to avoid overmixing. It's better to undermix than overmix. Continue until you get a smooth and supple mixture, thick in consistency so that when you lift the spatula in flows back in thick ribbons. Test a small amount on a plate – should the tops fall back and flatten by themselves then it is ready, if not give it a few more folds.  

Spoon the batter into a piping bag/gun with a 8-10 mm nozzle and pipe evenly onto the baking paper. Mild peaks should settle back into the batter eventually. If they don't disappear, tap the tray repeatedly on a table until the peaks have largely disappeared. Usually the batter will spread a little and any bumps will disappear.

If you want, you can leave the piped batter to dry for anywhere between 20 mins and two hours. Drying the batter helps in feet forming. Place the tray in the oven. If you're using a conventional oven, cook as normal for two mins and then open the oven door about 2.5 cm and place a wooden spoon between the door and the jamb to permit hot air to escape for the rest of the cooking time. (Your spoon might get a bit singed, so soaking it in water briefly beforehand is a good idea.) 

At the 5 minute mark the shells should have lifted and developed 'feet'. At the 6-7 minute mark they should be starting to colour just slightly. Rotate the baking sheet if the colouring is uneven. They are probably ready if a shell moves only reluctantly on its foot when you lightly nudge it with a finger.

 Remove from the oven and leave on the tray for a minute or two. Gently try to lift one of the outermost shells. A slight twisting motion or a peeling motion can help. If the shells stick badly, but are firm, try spraying or brushing a little water under the baking paper. This will moisten the paper and soften any stuck bits after 1-2 minutes. Don't use too much water or the shells may start to dissolve around the edges. Remove each shell by gently peeling away the baking paper or with the aid of a thin palette or paring knife. Another solution to the sticking problem can be to place the paper or Silpat (with stuck macarons) in the freezer for a while. Once removed from the sheet, leave the shells to cool on a wire rack, face up.

How to Assemble:

Fill the Chocolate Butter Cream in a plain tipped piping bag and pipe small dollops on one of the shells then gently cover with another. Do not press. Continue to do this until you have used up all of the filling and shells.  Leave the filled cookie to mature in the fridge for a day or two for the flavours of the fillings to mingle with the shell and to get the best results. Macarons are best eaten after a day or two of filling them.

This post is linked to Have The Cake. The theme for the month of April is French Macarons.