Rose Pistachio Macarons

I used to be obsessed with eating macarons, and when I first saw a video on how to make them, I was super intrigued. I started reading more about how to make them and found so. many. websites. A lot of websites were dedicated to trouble shooting, and I quickly realized these things must be tricky to make. Every time someone has a macaron I make and they ask me about making them I always note how many tears went into making them. The first time I made them, I really had no idea; they were pure sugar and butter and looked terrible. They’re somewhere on my Instagram if you really want to search for them. The next time I ended up making them, I found a video talking about making them and using the Italian method. Started doing my research, and that’s honestly where I discovered all the different types of meringue. I have found that the first time I made them the French way, which I I’d be able to do now.The Italian method has worked really well for me, though, so I’ve stuck to that. I made macarons 5 different times until I actually had a sense of what I was doing. The third time I was so discouraged because I had so much confidence going in. I literally thought, “Third time’s a charm,” and for some reason I thought that was truth… why would I ever? No, so much sadness went into these delicate little cookies and some very short, aggressive sentences towards my gentleband. Now, I don’t ask for his help and I can make a batch, no problem. I want to say whip up a batch, but honestly I don’t think you ever whip up a batch of macarons. If someone does, let’s talk because I must be doing something wrong still. There’s some equipment items I think I could purchase myself to make my life easier, but I just haven’t justified it for this one cookie.

This flavor is one of my good friend’s favorite flavor combinations. She’s getting married soon, and since her bridal shower was coming up, she requested these! I hadn’t made them in awhile, because if I haven’t said this recently, I’ve been working (broken record over here). I had never made this flavor into a macaron, so I was interested in how exactly to put rose and pistachio in it. I had decided on adding rose water into the shell and folding pistachios into the buttercream. The other unique thing I did here was make Swiss buttercream. I don’t like American buttercream, it’s so icky sweet! I like making baked goods, but I truly do not like things overly sweet! I have come to love Swiss buttercream and it’s honestly so easy, I’ll be sharing that recipe along with the macaron recipe. After I had piped the buttercream, in I sprinkled some more pistachios in the middle, put the top on and just felt like it needed more. I dipped one side into crushed pistachios and I was like yes, that’s what it needed. Macarons are just so beautiful, fancy, and DELICATE!

 

Rose Macaron Shells
212 grams fine ground almond flour
212 grams powdered sugar
82 grams egg whites
90 grams egg whites
236 grams sugar
158 grams water
1/8 tsp cream tar tar *I use this a stabilizer, you don’t need it but it gives me a sense of security with those peaks*
red food coloring, I use a natural one made with beets.
1/4 tsp rose water

Swiss Pistachio Buttercream
85 grams egg whites
170 grams sugar
227 grams butter- room temp
3/4 tsp vanilla extract
25 grams crushed pistachios
25 grams crushed pistachios – for topping in the middle and decorating the side

What you need to do!

For the macarons

(I age my egg whites the night before. In two separate bowls, weigh out in one 82 grams and in the other 90 grams. I usually use a smaller bowl to represent the smaller number so I don’t forget)
for the shells!
∙sift together your almond flour and powdered sugar
∙make a well in the dry ingredients and add the 82 grams of egg whites
∙fold everything into each other-this will be paste-like; just be sure there isn’t anything dry in the bowl
∙in a small saucepan, add sugar and water over medium heat-you want 248℉
∙your 90 grams of egg whites should be in a stand mixer with a whisk attachment
∙when your water and sugar are at 230, whisk to soft peaks-I mess up here, so when my whites get frothy, *this is when I throw in that cream of tartar
∙when syrup reaches 248℉, pour into bowl and aim for the side of the bowl. beat until stiff peaks
∙Once you achieve stiff peaks, place your rosewater in and make sure it gets mixed in well.
∙I slightly colored these with natural pink food coloring. It’s made out of beets and it’s a gorgeous red. I used 2 drops to get that very pale color.
∙fold your meringue into your delicious looking paste you made
∙if you hold your spatula up, and it ribbons off and dissipates into itself in 10 seconds, you can stop folding; you’re ready to pipe!
∙Grab a piping bag with a pastry tip #6 and I use an ice cream scoop to scoop batter in to help get rid of any air pockets
∙Pipe macarons onto a tray with circles already drawn for you or draw those circles yourself before any of this gets started
∙if you have a little “top hat” game going on dip your finger in cold water and push it down gently, and let your macarons know they’ll be pretty on their own – no need to add to the occasion-this also means you didn’t mix your batter well enough
∙tap your tray after shells have been piped to knock any possible air bubbles out-this scares anyone in the house that doesn’t know what you’re doing
∙set oven to 350F
∙once tray goes in set it to 325F and timer for 12 minutes

For the buttercream

∙Make sure your butter is pulled out and is at room temp, if not this will be very difficult for you
∙Simmer some water in a pot, you’ll be doing a double broiler type situation
∙combine your egg whites and sugar into your metal mixing bowl, if you do not having a mixing bowl, any bowl will do that can fit over your pot
∙whisk your egg whites and sugar while it’s sitting over simmering water. You’ll be finished when your mix reaches 160℉
∙Once it reaches the temp you’re looking for, go ahead and either set up your mixing bowl with a whisk attachment or pour you mix into your mixing bowl
∙Immediately turn to a high speed on your mixer with a whisk attachment and look for stiff peaks
∙Once you have stiff peaks, start throwing your softened butter in a tablespoon at a time
∙If your mix looks like it has turned to liquid or curdled, don’t worry, just keep whisking.
∙once all of your butter has been added and you still have stiff peaks, add in your vanilla
∙remove whisk and fold in the 25 grams of pistachios

bringing it all together
∙let shells cool completely!
∙pull paper from shells, not shells from paper
∙find their dates-meaning find two shells similar in size
∙pipe buttercream in the middle, put a few chopped pistachio pieces in the middle, and put the other half of the shell on top
∙Dip one side of the macaron into crushed pistachios
things to note
∙every oven is different, so your temperature and time may not be the same as what I have found works best for me
∙Because my oven isn’t the greatest, I bake one tray at a time
∙these are best eaten after they’ve sat in the fridge for a day
∙If you do not crush the pistachios fine enough, they will get stuck in your piping tip
∙if you give them to your friends, they will expect you give them one every time you make them