Published September 1, 1996.
We wanted to develop a great macaroon recipe so we could reproduce this classic French cookie at home. We found the task surprisingly simple: To make the cookies, we ground pistachios and sugar in a food processor, added egg whites and a little almond extract, and processed until the mixture became a stiff but cohesive dough. Next we dropped or piped the paste onto a parchment-lined sheet and baked. The result was a macaroon recipe for cookies that were moist and soft on the inside and crunchy-chewy on the outside.
The skinning of pistachios is a nuisance, but there is no point in bothering with this recipe unless it is done. Make sure to get pistachios that are raw or only lightly toasted. The flavor of these macaroons becomes more intense the day after baking. Macaroons must be baked on parchment paper. They will stick to an ungreased sheet and spread on a greased one. You need a slightly less stiff dough if piping the macaroons, so add water, as needed, to make a pipeable paste.
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