Raspberry Crash Stars

It's up to you.

14 detailed steps, from preparation to service.

1. Separate whites and prepare dry ingredients

   Break the eggs one by one over a small bowl and separate the whites from the yolks. Weigh 60 g of whites in total, then pour them into a large clean and dry bowl; reserve the yolks and a possible surplus for another recipe. Weigh separately the 160 g of icing sugar for meringue and the 20 g intended for display, not to confuse them.

2. Whip the meringue gradually

   Whisk the whites with the beater, first slowly and then at medium speed, until a white foam is obtained. Add the 160 g of icing sugar spooned per spoonful, continuing to whisk. Stop when the mass is thick and shiny and a tip holds at the end of the whisks; scrape off once the walls to incorporate all the powder.

3. Reserve the icing before making the dough

   Take 3 tablespoons of meringue and put them in a small covered bowl. This portion will serve above the white stars: do not add it to almonds. Keep it in the refrigerator while the dough is resting, to prevent its surface from drying out.

4. Add almonds, cinnamon and lemon

   Add the 250 g of ground almonds, the 6 g of cinnamon and the 10 ml of lemon juice to the meringue left in the large bowl. Mix with the spatula, lifting and then gently pressing, until a homogeneous, dense and sticky paste is obtained. Do not add flour: this almond paste naturally has a different texture than a sanded paste.

5. Cool for 45 minutes

   Flatten the dough into a thick disc between two sheets of baking paper. Place it in the refrigerator for 45 minutes on a plate or plate to keep it flat. It must then be easier to handle; if it is still very soft, prolong the cold by 10 minutes rather than adding dry ingredients.

6. Spread without losing the right thickness

   Preheat the oven to 150 °C, conventional oven setting (no fan), and covers a baking sheet. Take a little of the 20 g of display icing sugar to lightly powder the two leaves surrounding the dough. Pass the roller until it is 8 mm thick; gently peel off the top sheet by pulling it almost parallel to the dough.

7. Cut twenty-four stars

   Slightly powder the 5 cm star cookie cutter with the expected icing sugar and push it vertically into the dough. Raise the stars with a flat spatula and place them on the plate, spaced 2 cm apart. Gather the offcuts without kneading them for a long time, re-spread to 8 mm and start again until you get 24 stars; cook any surplus in small separate cookies.

8. Spread the white top in a thin layer

   Take out the reserved meringue and gently stir it with a spoon to smooth it. Spread it between the 24 stars, then stretch each small portion with the back of the spoon into the ends, without letting it flow to the sides. The layer should cover the dough while remaining fine; use only a trace on the small surplus cookies if any remain.

9. Cook without browning the icing

   Place the baking tray in the lower part of the oven and cook for 12 to 14 minutes. At the end, the top should remain white and dry to the light touch, while the sponge retains some flexibility. Do not continue cooking to obtain a hard star: it will firm up by cooling.

10. Cool on the plate before decorating

    Place the plate on a heat-resistant surface and leave the cookies motionless for about 30 minutes. Take off a star with the spatula to check that it is standing, then let it cool completely if its underside is still warm. The following decorations are placed on a cold icing, otherwise the chocolate would flow and the jam would further soften the biscuit.

11. Preparing the eight broken stars

    Choose eight completely cold stars and gently break a single tip of each between your fingers. Keep the eight spikes on a plate, without crumbling them. The other sixteen stars remain whole; arrange the 24 cookies on the tray before putting the jam, so that they no longer have to move during the decor.

12. Trace the brands of raspberry

    Stir the 50 g thick raspberry jam with a spoon to smooth it. Spread it between the 24 centers, about 2 g per star, then lightly stretch each small touch with the back of the spoon. On the eight broken stars, place the reserved point across this trace, leaving visible the place where it is missing.

13. Melt the chocolate of the zigzags

    Chop the 30 g of dark chocolate with a knife and put them in a perfectly dry bowl. Pour 2 cm of water into a small saucepan, heat to a gentle simmer and then lower the heat. Set the bowl over the pan without touching the water and stir with a spatula. Remove while a few small pieces remain and stir off the heat until melted. Wipe the bottom of the bowl and do not pour any water into the chocolate. Let it cool for 3 to 5 minutes, then try on a piece of paper: a net must remain thick enough to see itself. If the chocolate runs too fast, wait a little longer instead of adding an ingredient.

14. Trace two zigzags and let go

    Lightly load a small spoon of chocolate and move it over each star, making two large zigzag movements. Keep the jam and broken ends clearly visible; scrapes the last chocolate fillets on any surplus cookies. Let it take 20 minutes, then keep the stars in a single layer in a box in the refrigerator and take them out 15 minutes before serving.