Mini Pistachio Chocolate Macaroons Recipes

Steps:

• For the pistachio cream filling: Preheat the oven to 300 degrees F.
• Spread the pistachios onto a baking sheet and toast for 15 minutes. Let cool.
• Place the granulated sugar and 1 tablespoon water in a saucepan and bring to a boil over medium heat (brush down the sides with water to avoid any clinging granules of sugar and prevent crystallization). Cook the syrup until it reaches 250 degrees F on a candy thermometer. Add the toasted pistachios to the hot syrup and stir until the nuts are well coated. When all the sugar coats the pistachios and any remaining syrup turns powdery white, pour the nuts onto a baking sheet to cool.
• Once cooled, place the pistachios in the bowl of a food processor with the almond flour. Blend until the nuts resemble a coarse meal, approximately 1 minute. Slowly drizzle in the oil while continuing to blend the mixture. Add the butter, almond paste, almond extract and 3 tablespoons water. Keep mixing until mixture is a smooth paste, approximately 3 minutes.
• For the macarons: Mix the powdered sugar, almond flour and salt in a bowl using a whisk; set aside. In a separate bowl using a hand mixer, mix the granulated sugar, vanilla, food coloring and egg whites. Whip until the batter has firm shiny peaks. Take one-third of the wet mixture and fold into the dry ingredients. Gradually fold in the remaining batter. Once the dry ingredients have been absorbed, run a rubber spatula over the mixture to create a shine. This process is called macaroning and is key to the overall recipe.
• Line 2 cookie sheets with parchment paper. Transfer the batter to a piping bag with a 1/4-inch round tip. Pipe the mixture in 1-inch rounds onto the cookie sheets. It's important to create a consistent size for each cookie. Let stand for 30 minutes to create a thin crust on the outside.
• Adjust the oven racks: Put one in the lower third of the oven and a second in the upper third of the oven. Preheat the oven to 300 degrees F. Bake until the macarons puff and rise to form ''feet'' and are crisp, 17 to 20 minutes. Let cool completely on the cookie sheets before filling.
• Put about 1 teaspoon of pistachio cream filling between 2 cookies to create the finished macarons.

Steps:

• Position racks in the upper and lower thirds of the oven and preheat to 325 degrees F. Line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper. Pulse the pistachios in a food processor until finely ground but not powdery. Whisk the egg whites with the sugar, lemon zest, vanilla and salt in a large bowl until frothy. Stir in the ground pistachios, then stir in the coconut until completely combined.
• Scoop heaping tablespoons of the coconut mixture onto the prepared pans. Bake, switching the pans halfway through, until the macaroons are golden, 25 to 30 minutes. Let cool 10 minutes on the pans, then transfer to a rack to cool completely.

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 325 degrees F and line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Whisk the egg whites, cherries, sugar salt and the vanilla and almond extracts in a large bowl until combined; fold in the coconut.
• Scoop heaping tablespoonfuls of the coconut mixture about 1 inch apart onto the baking sheet. Use your fingers to form into pyramids. Bake until golden brown around the edges, 20 to 25 minutes. Let cool 10 minutes on the baking sheet, then transfer to a rack to cool completely.
• Melt the chocolate in a microwave-safe bowl on medium-high power in 30-second intervals, stirring, until smooth, about 2 minutes. Dip the macaroons in the chocolate and sprinkle with pistachios, then transfer to a sheet of parchment paper and let cool.

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F and line a baking sheet with parchment or preferably silicon pad.
• Mix egg whites (unbeaten) with the ground almonds, cocoa and powdered sugar until you have a sticky but cohesive mixture.
• Fill a large bowl with cold water and dip your hands in it to wet them before rolling the mixture into little balls the size of small walnuts. You will probably have to redunk your hands to keep wetting them as you go.
• Arrange the macaroon-balls on the lined baking tray and put in the oven to bake for 11 minutes. It's hard to tell when they're ready, as they will seem squishy but they harden up a little as they cool, and anyway, they should be damp within; that's what makes them chewy, so don't worry that the macaroons look sticky underneath.

Steps:

• Heat oven to 180C/ 160C fan/gas 4. Line a large baking sheet with baking paper. Sift the icing sugar and cocoa into a bowl, then stir in the ground almonds. Whisk the egg whites until stiff, then fold them into the dry ingredients.
• Fill an icing bag fitted with a plain nozzle with the mixture (or put in a large food bag and snip off the corner). Pipe 24 small blobs, about 3cm across, onto the baking sheet, leaving a little space between each. Smooth the surface with a wet finger, then leave for 15 mins to dry out. Bake for 15-20 mins until macaroons feel firm to the touch and peel easily off the paper. Cool on the paper, then peel off and store in a tin for up to 1 week.
• To make the filling, put chocolate into a heatproof bowl and gently melt over a pan of barely simmering water. Stir in the warm milk until smooth. Leave to cool and thicken a little, then use to sandwich the macarons together