Recipe: Pistachio Macaroons with Pistachio Buttercream Filling (food processor)

PISTACHIO MACAROONS

"These are the world's most elegant macaroons. The color alone, that waxy pale jade, perfectly matches the aromatic delicacy of their taste; and their nutty chewiness melts into the fragrant, soft paste with which they're paired. Of all the recipes in this book, this is the one of which I think I'm most proud: cookie bliss.

These are perfect at the end of dinner alongside some confectioner's-sugar-dusted raspberries; or alone with coffee, gracefully piled on a plate or cake stand."

FOR THE MACAROONS:
1/3 cup or 3 ounces pistachios
3/4 cup confectioners' sugar
2 large egg whites
1 tbsp sugar

FOR THE BUTTERCREAM:
1/4 cup or 2 ounces pistachios
1 2/3 cups confectioners' sugar
1/2 cup unsalted butter, softened

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper.

Grind the pistachios in a food processor along with 3/4 cup confectioners' sugar (this stops them turning into an oily mess), until as fine as dust.

In a mixing bowl, whisk the egg whites until fairly stiff, but not dry, sprinkle the sugar over and whisk until very stiff. Fold the whites into the pistachio-sugar dust, and combine gently.

Pipe small rounds onto your lined baking sheet, using a plain 1/2-inch nozzle. Let them sit for about 10 minutes to form a skin.

Bake for 10-12 minutes: they should be set, but not dried out.

Remove from the oven and let cool, still on their sheets, while you get on with the filling. This is simple work: grind the nuts and 1 2/3 cups confectioners' sugar in the processor as before.

In a mixing bowl, cream the butter and continue creaming as you add the nut dust. Make sure you have a well-combined soft buttercream.

Then simply sandwich the macaroons together.

Makes 20 sandwiches
Used by permission to Recipelink.com from Random House
Used by permission to Recipelink.com from Random House
Source: How to Be a Domestic Goddess by Nigella Lawson