Line 2 baking sheets with either parchment paper or a silicone mat (circle template optional but recommended).

Place a medium/large round piping tip in a large piping bag. Twist the bag right behind the tip and add a clip to seal off the opening. Place the bag tip down into either a clean tall cup with the edges folded over the rim to keep the bag open, or clip it into a bag holder.

Using a kitchen scale, carefully weigh out and sift the confectioner’s sugar and almond flour into a medium mixing bowl. Whisk well to fully blend the two together.

Place egg whites, granulated sugar, and cream of tartar into a large mixing bowl, and begin beating with a whisk attachment using either a handheld mixer or a stand mixer for 2 minutes on a medium low speed (Kitchen Aid Speed 4).

Turn up the mixer to a medium speed (Kitchen Aid Speed 6) and beat for an additional 2 minutes.

Add desired gel food coloring (optional)

Turn mixer up to medium high speed (Kitchen Aid Speed 8) and beat for 3 more minutes, or until peaks are very stiff and the meringue clumps up in a ball in the center of the whisk. Test stiffness by removing whisk and pointing it upward. (See photo in post) Once the peaks can hold their shape flipped upright, your meringue is ready.

Pour half of your almond flour/confectioner’s sugar mixture into the bowl with your meringue, and fold 15 times. One fold is scraping all the way around the edge of your batter in your bowl, and then dragging your spatula through the middle. Be sure to scoop around the bottom of the bowl as well so you don’t miss any dry ingredients.

Pour batter into prepared piping bag, and twist the opening off. Hold your bag at the twist between your thumb and pointer finger. Remove the clip.

Holding the piping bag straight up and down, apply pressure to begin piping your batter in the center of your circle templates, releasing pressure once you are a few millimeters short of your desired size. After you release pressure, use a small quick circular flick to release your tip from the piped macaron.

Once you’ve piped a full tray, firmly bang the tray on the counter a few times to pop any air bubbles and smooth out shells. Pop any remaining large bubbles with a toothpick. Repeat with the second tray.

Quickly open door to check the shell’s doneness by gently pressing on the side just above the feet to see if it’s firm. If it moves at all, bake for another 2 minutes.

Check shells by performing the same test, pressing on the side. If they are still unstable, bake for one more minute, and check again. Repeat until shells are firm and do not budge, then remove from oven. Make sure oven is still at the correct temperature and then bake your second tray.

Allow shells to cool completely, and the carefully remove from silicone mat or parchment paper by gently peeling them off.

Place raspberries, sugar, and lemon juice in a small saucepan and cook over medium heat until the berries have broken down. Mash and stir with a wooden spatula as you go.

In a small bowl, stir cornstarch and water together until completely combined.

Add cornstarch slurry to raspberries while stirring, and continue to stir.

Bring mixture to a low boil while stirring frequently. Be sure to fully scrape the bottom and sides of your pan as you go. Continue to cook until the filling has thickened.

Remove filling from heat. Place in the fridge to chill.

Beat butter in a mixing bowl until light and fluffy.

While butter is beating, place pistachios in a food processor, and blend until the nuts are finely ground and are beginning to form a paste.

Add pistachio paste into the mixing bowl with your butter, and beat until thoroughly combined. Scrape the sides of the bowl down as you go.

Add in powdered sugar slowly,stopping to scrape down the sides here and there to fully incorporate all ingredients.

Beat for another few minutes until the buttercream is light and fluffy.

Pour in heavy cream and mix until just combined. If you'd like a softer frosting, add more heavy cream bit by bit until you've reached your desired consistency.

If using parchment sheets, cut into rectangles that will comfortably cover half of your shell.

Match up each shell with a partner shell of equal size, and line pairs up on parchment paper.

Using a food processor, grind up the 1/4 cup of pistachios into tiny pieces and set aside for decorating and assembling. For this part of the recipe, you do NOT want to grind the nuts up to the point where it breaks down into a paste.

Place chocolate in a tall narrow glass. Microwave for 1 minute on the auto defrost setting.

Stir, and microwave for 30 more seconds on auto defrost.

Continue stirring and microwaving in short intervals until the chocolate has completely melted.

Add a small drizzle of vegetable oil or shortening to the chocolate and stir until combined.

Choose one shell from each pair, and dip it halfway in to the chocolate. Let some of the excess drip off, and then place back on parchment. Don't let too much of the chocolate drip off, because you want to have a thick enough layer to fill in all the spaces of your parchment.

Place your parchment rectangle on your chocolate half, gently pressing down working from one side to the other to avoid air bubbles.

Move shell to a clean spot on the parchment to remove a little of the excess chocolate that has pooled at the base of your shell.

Allow chocolate to harden completely, and then remove your parchment.

Trim any excess chocolate off with a butter knife.

Remelt white chocolate and place it in a ziploc bag. Cut a small tip off of one of the corners to create a makeshift piping bag. Drizzle a few lines of chocolate across the line where the dipped half of your shell meets the plain half.

Sprinkle ground pistachios to cover the drizzled lines. Set the remaining pistachios aside to use during the assembly process. Set aside to allow the chocolate to set.

Make sure each shell is still matched with a partner shell of equal size.

Wait to fill macarons until the raspberry filling is no longer warm. Using a piping bag with a round piping tip, pipe a border of pistachio buttercream on one shell in each pair.

Fill the center of the pistachio buttercream border with the raspberry filling. A quick way to do this is to place the filling in a ziploc bag, and then cut off a corner of the bag and use it to pipe the filling.

Sprinkle more of your ground pistachios on top of your piped fillings.

Gently sandwich the matched shell on top to complete your macaron.

Refrigerate in an airtight container for 24 hours to allow the macarons to “mature” and fully develop their flavor and texture. Eat within 3-4 days. Enjoy!