Christmas Cinnamon Stars

It's up to you.

11 detailed steps, from preparation to service.

1. Separate and weigh the whites

   Prepare a bowl and whisks the batter clean and dry. Break the 2 eggs one by one over a small container, separating the whites from the yolks; check each white before pouring it into the bowl of the beater. Weigh 60 g of whites in total, according to the list. No piece of yolks should remain in the whites, otherwise they will rise less well; keep the yolks apart for another preparation.

2. Prepare dry ingredients and finishing

   Weigh 160 g of icing sugar for meringue, 250 g of ground almonds and 6 g of cinnamon. Measure 10 ml of lemon juice. Keep the 20 g of icing sugar for display in another bowl, so as not to add them to the meringue. Put the 160 g of sugar in a strainer if they have small clumps.

3. Gradually whisk the egg whites

   Start beating the 60 g of whites at low speed, then increase when many small bubbles appear. When the whites turn white and frothy, add the 160 g of icing sugar in three or four times, while whipping. Continue until you get a thick and shiny meringue. When you lift the beaters, a tip should form and hold, with only its end slightly bent.

4. Reserve the icing before adding the almonds

   Take 3 tablespoons of this meringue and put them in a small clean bowl. Cover this bowl and place it in the refrigerator: this portion will be used to cover the stars. Do not mix it with almonds. Keep the remaining meringue in the large bowl to prepare the dough.

5. Shapes the almond and cinnamon paste

   Pour 250 g of ground almonds and 6 g of cinnamon into the large bowl, then add 10 ml of lemon juice. Mix with the spatula by scraping the bottom and folding the dough until there is no more dry powder. The dough is dense and sticky: this is normal, it does not look like a liquid cake dough. Gather it into a thick disc, cover and refrigerate 45 minutes.

6. Prepare plates and worktop

   At the end of the rest, turn on the oven at 150 °C, conventional oven setting (no fan), with an oven rack in the bottom third. Cover one or two baking sheets depending on the space required. Saupowder very lightly a sheet of paper with part of the 20 g of icing sugar provided for display. Place the dough on top and cover with a second sheet.

7. Scale to a regular thickness

   Pass the roll from the center to the edges, turning the paper, until you get a paste about 8 mm thick. Don’t over-thin it: the stars must keep a mellow heart. Gently peel off the top sheet; if it takes away dough, put it back in the refrigerator for 10 minutes. Use the remaining icing sugar in small touches for the cookie cutter, without forcibly incorporating it into the dough.

8. Cut out the stars and reuse the offcuts

   Cut about 24 stars 5 cm with a cookie cutter, bringing them closer to limit offcuts. Lift them with a thin spatula and place them on the plates leaving 2 cm between them. Gently gather the offcuts, spread them out again at 8 mm and finish the stars. If the quantity gives an extra small room, cook it next to it without thickening the others.

9. The reserved meringue

   Take the small bowl of meringue out of the refrigerator and gently stir it with a spoon. Place a small amount on top of each star, then spread it with the back of a small spoon to the tips, in a thin layer. Divide the 3 tablespoons between all the stars. The icing should cover the surface without flowing widely to the sides.

10. Cuis keeping the tops clear

    Place a baking tray in the bottom third of the oven and cook for 12 to 14 minutes at 150 °C. The underside should be taken and the top become matte, while remaining white or very light ivory. Watch especially for spikes, which color faster. If two plates are needed, cook them successively to control the color of each.

11. Let firm before moving

    Place the plate on a heat-resistant surface and let the stars cool on it for at least 30 minutes. They are tender when they come out of the oven: moving them immediately could break the branches. Once cold, take them off with a spatula and store them in a box. The icing should be dry to the touch, with a firm sponge on the outside and still flexible in the center.