Zimtsterne

Zimtsterne or Cinnamon Stars is a traditional german cookie which I will bake every Christmas.  The main ingredients consist of cinnamon powder, ground almond and egg whites.  It is very important to leave the cookies overnight at room temperature before baking.  Bear in mind that these cookies only need to be dried in the oven instead of baked!

Ingredients (yields about 70 pieces):
500 g ground almonds
5 egg whites
450 g icing sugar
2 tablespoons ground cinnamon
1 tablespoon cherry liquor (Kirschwasser)

Method:
Whisk egg whites with a cake machine until white and fluffy. Add in the sifted icing sugar and mix well. Remove about 1 cup (250 ml capacity) of the egg/sugar mixture (egg white glace) and leave it aside. Add in the ground almonds, ground cinnamon and cherry liquor. Knead well and wrap the dough in a cling film. Store in the fridge for about one hour.  One can prepare the dough a day before.

Powder a kneading board with icing sugar. Roll the dough to about 1 cm thick and cut the dough with a star biscuit form. Place them on a baking tray which is lined with a baking paper. 

Brush the top of the dough with the sugar glace mixture and leave them overnight at room temperature. Please note that this has to be done or else, if one bakes the cookies straight away, it will go out of shape.

Preheat the oven to160º C (Fan 130º) and bake the cookies for 7 – 8 minutes. Please do not overbake the cookies cos the top should be snow white and the inside should be soft. It is important to stick to the baking time recommended.

Store the cookies between pergament paper layers in a biscuit container.

Happy Baking!