ZIMTSTERNE

I tried to start my Christmas baking early this year, because I've been finding it hard to get into the Christmas mood... well and because we all know how much I love baking. My best childhood friend came over for a long weekend and what better way to spend a day off than baking your favourite Christmas biscuits. These little babies are called Zimtsterne (cinnamon stars) and are everything a Christmas biscuit should be: sweet, nutty, spicy, chewy, crispy... just amazing.
They literally have been my favourite Christmas treat for as long as I can remember and I don't see this changing any time soon.

And before you say anything...yes I know they aren't stars, as they are meant to be (I didn't have the right cookie cutters).

Please try these, you'll instantly feel twice as christmassy!!

Love,








MAKES 25-50 (this depends on the size of your cookie cutters)
PREPARATION 20mins
COOKS 25mins
 
INGREDIENTS

• 3 Egg Whites
• 250g Icing Sugar
• 1tsp Vanilla Extract
• 1tbsp Cinnamon
• 1 pinch of Ground Coffee
• 375g ground Almonds

PREPARATION METHOD

1. Beat the egg whites with an electric mixer until stiff. Sieve the icing sugar and carefully (spoon by spoon) mix with the stiff egg whites.
2. Remove 3 tablespoons of the mixture and set aside. 
3. Add the vanilla extract, cinnamon, coffee and as much of the ground almonds until the mixture is not sticky anymore.
4. Place the mixture between two large sheets of cling film and roll out evenly until 1cm thick.
   Place on a flat chopping board and refrigerate for 2 hours.
5. Preheat the oven to 125˚C. Open up the cling film and cut out stars using a cookie cutter (ideally stars of approximately 4 cm diameter). Dust the cutter with a bit of icing sugar every now and then to avoid sticking. 
6. Place the stars on a baking tray lined with baking paper and brush with the egg white/icing sugar mixture you set aside earlier.
7. Bake for 15 minutes then turn the temperature down to 100˚C and bake for another 10-15 minutes (make sure the egg white stays pale).
8. Once done place on a cake rack and leave to cool.

I promise you these will be gone within the day. Enjoy!