Pistachio Macaron Shells | Laduréee Recipes

The foundation of all of the delicious variations of Macarons, the shell is arguably the most important part. 

Prepare: 50 Minutes. Makes Approximately 100 Shells
Cook: 14 Minutes 

Ingredients: 
2 ¾ Cup Ground Almond Flour 
2 Cups and 1 tbsp Confectioner’s Sugar 
⅔ Ground Pistachios (Flour) 
6 ½ Egg Whites At Room Temperature 
1 Cup and 1 tbsp Castor Sugar 

Equipment: 
Food Processor 
Whisk 
Flexible Spatula 
Piping Bag Fitted With A ½ Inch Plain Tip 

Steps: 

1. Preheat the oven to 300 F 
2. Combine the almond flour, pistachios, and confectioner’s sugar in a food processor. Pule to a fine powder, then sift. 
3. Melt the chocolate in a heat resistant bowl, microwaving until warm (95 F) 
4. In a clean dry bowl, gently whisk the 6 egg whites until foamy. Add a third of the sugar and whisk for about 1 minute or until dissolved. Add half of the remaining sugar, and continue whisking for 1 minute. Add the rest of the sugar, whisking until firm and glossy peaks begin to form. 
5. Use a spatula to gently fold the sifted mixture into the whisked egg whites. In a small bowl, whisk the remaining ½ egg white until frothy, and stir into the macaron shell batter to moisten and soften it. 
6. Spoon the batter into a piping bag fitted with a plain tip. Cover a baking sheet with parchment paper, and begin to pipe small ½ inch rounds of batter spacing them apart as you go. Lightly tap the baking sheet on the world surface to spread the rounds. 
7. Set your baking sheet aside uncovered for 10 minutes to allow a crust to form. 
8. Bake the shells for 14-15 minutes. 
9. Remove the baking sheet from the oven. Carefully lift the parchment paper by the edges and pour a small amount of water between the paper and the hot baking sheet. Be careful to not use too much water or the shells will become soggy. 
10. Let cool, and then carefully lift half of the cold shells off the parchment paper and place, flat side up on a plate.