Pistachio Macarons with Chocolate Ganache
Treat yourselves to these pistachio macarons to add some sweetness to your St-Patrick festivities. Pairing the taste of chocolate and pistachio is always a great combination. Serves 12 or more.
The ingredients below are for one batch of macarons (either round or heart-shaped). For the second batch, repeat ingredients and follow same directions.
Ingredients: (for the macaron shells)
– 2 cups of confectioners sugar
– 1 cup ground almond meal
– 1 cup of roasted unsalted shelled pistachios
– 4 large egg whites, room temperature
– ¼ cup granulated sugar
– Green natural food coloring
– Gold edible sprinkles
– Silicone macaron baking mat or double parchment paper
– 16 inch pastry bag
– One number 12 decorating tip
Directions:
1. Preheat oven to 300 degrees.
2. In a food processor, blend the pistachios until obtaining fine ground texture.
3. Sift the almond meal, confectioners sugar and ground pistachios into a mixing bowl or blend in a food processor until finely ground. Set aside.
4. Beat the egg whites in a mixmaster with a whisk attachment on medium speed until the mixture is foamy and soft peaks.
5. Gradually add the granulated sugar to the egg whites and mix on high until the egg mixture is glossy and stiff peaks.
6. Add the food colors and whisk on low to combine well.
7. Gently fold the egg white mixture in batches into the almond meal/pistachio mixture, taking the egg mixture from the middle and up while rotating the mixing bowl. Continue until all of the batter has been folded into the almond meal/pistachio mixture and is thoroughly combined to obtain a lava-like consistency (about 30-40 folds), but not too runny or overmixed.
8. Place silicone mat or parchment paper onto a baking tray.
9. Cut tip of pastry bag, place number 12 decorating tip into the end of the bag and twist the end.
10. Place pastry bag, tip side down, into a tall cup to fill it easily.
11. Fill pastry bag with macaron mixture.
12. Twist top of pastry bag to close.
13. Pipe 1 and 1/2 inch circles onto silicone mat or parchment paper until all mixture is used.
14. Decorate macarons with gold sprinkles and or your choice of topping (optional).
15. Tap baking tray 5 times on kitchen counter and fist punch gently the bottom of the baking tray to release the air bubbles from the macarons.
16. Let macarons stand for 20 minutes until the top of the shells are dry.
17. Place macarons on middle rack of the oven and bake for 20 minutes.
18. Remove from oven and let stand for one hour.
Ingredients for Ganache:
– 6oz or 3/4 cup bittersweet chocolate or any chocolate of your choice
– 3/4 cup heavy whipping cream
– 2 teaspoon unsalted butter
– 1 teaspoon of Grand Marnier or any liquor of you choice
– 16oz piping bag
– Pipe tip #2a
Directions:
1. Place chopped chocolate in a mixing bowl.
2. In a saucepan combine butter and cream over medium heat and remove before reaching boiling point.
3. Immediately pour cream mixture on the chocolate and let sit for a couple of minutes until chocolate melts.
4. With a whisk, mix the ganache well and add liquor while mixing.
5. Let the ganache cool down for 30 minutes.
6. Place in refrigerator and chill for 1hour.
7. Put together the piping bag with pipe tip #2 and fill with ganache.
8. Pipe ganache onto one half of the macaron shells and place a second on top to close.
9. Remove macarons from tray and place on decorative plate.
The Petite Gourmande
© 2018 by Ruth Barnes, all rights reserved
by