Christmas Cinnamon-Almond Stars

📝 Ingredients

• 2 egg whites (about 70 g)
• 1 pinch of salt
• 180 g icing sugar
• ½ unwaxed lemon (grated zest + 1 tsp juice)
• 1 sachet vanilla sugar (7.5 g)
• 250 g ground almonds
• 2 tsp ground cinnamon

🍴 Utensils

• Electric hand mixer
• Large mixing bowl
• Silicone spatula
• Rolling pin
• Star-shaped biscuit cutter
• Baking tray and baking paper

📖 Steps

1. In a large, clean and completely dry mixing bowl, whisk the egg whites with the salt using an electric mixer, first on medium speed then high, until stiff and forming a peak that holds when you lift the whisk.
2. Add the icing sugar in 4 batches while continuing to whisk, then the lemon juice, and beat for another 3 to 4 min until you have a thick, glossy and very stiff meringue. Set aside 4 tbsp of meringue in a bowl, cover and keep for the icing.
3. Mix the ground almonds, cinnamon, vanilla sugar and lemon zest, then fold them into the rest of the meringue with a silicone spatula, until you have an even, thick and slightly sticky dough. Cover and chill for 30 min in the fridge.
4. Preheat the oven to 140 °C. Roll out the dough between two sheets of baking paper to a thickness of 8 mm: the paper stops it sticking without adding flour. Carefully peel off the top sheet.
5. Cut out the stars with a 5 to 6 cm cutter, dipping it in a glass of cold water between each cut so it doesn't stick. Place them on the baking tray lined with baking paper and re-roll the trimmings until all the dough is used up (about 32 stars).
6. Coat each star with a thin layer of the reserved meringue, using the back of a teaspoon or a brush, pushing it right out to the points. Too thick a layer will run over the edges and crack as it dries.
7. Bake for 10 to 12 min at 140 °C (in two batches if necessary), until the icing is dry to the touch and still bright white, and the underside barely golden. The centre should stay soft: it firms up as it cools.
8. Leave the stars to cool completely on the tray before lifting them off, as they are very fragile straight out of the oven. Store them in an airtight metal tin and allow 4 stars per serving.