Cakes & biscuits
Cinnamon stars with white icing
Cinnamon stars are made mainly from ground almonds, icing sugar and egg whites.
- Total time
- 75 min
- Servings / pieces
- 35
- Topic
- Cakes & biscuits
Cinnamon stars are made mainly from ground almonds, icing sugar and egg whites. Some of the whisked mixture is reserved before adding the almonds and later becomes the pale icing. With no flour in the dough, it remains slightly sticky and is easiest to roll between sheets of baking paper. The finished stars should be soft inside with stable edges. A low oven temperature helps the topping stay white. Yield depends on the cutter; stars about five centimetres wide with reasonably broad points suit this quantity well.
Method
Step by step
- 01
Whisk the whites
Begin whisking the egg whites and salt in a grease-free bowl. Gradually add the sifted icing sugar and whisk to a thick, glossy mixture. Briefly mix in the lemon juice. Reserve about three heaped tablespoons in a covered small bowl for icing.
- 02
Mix the almond dough
Stir 300 g almonds and the cinnamon into the remaining egg-white mixture. The dough should be soft but shapeable. Cover and chill for 20 minutes. If it still flows rather than holding its shape, add more almonds a tablespoon at a time.
- 03
Cut the stars
Roll the dough about 8 mm thick between two sheets of baking paper. Peel away the upper sheet. Dip the cutter in cold water between cuts, shake off excess and cut stars. Transfer carefully to a lined tray. Gently press scraps together and reroll.
- 04
Spread the topping
Heat the oven to 140°C conventional. Use a small brush or teaspoon to spread the reserved icing thinly right into the points. It should cover the surface without sitting in thick pools.
- 05
Bake carefully
Bake on the lower middle shelf for 15–18 minutes. The icing should look dry and remain pale. After brief cooling the bases should release from the paper while the centres stay soft. Let the stars cool fully on the tray.
Times are a guide. Your hob, oven and ingredients affect the result; use the cooking cues as well as the clock.
Handling sticky dough
Egg whites vary in size. Judge the dough after chilling and add extra almonds cautiously; too much makes dry stars. Damp tools prevent sticking but should not drip water onto the dough.
Keeping a soft centre
Freshly baked stars feel delicate. This does not mean they need baking until hard. The edges become firmer as they cool. Strongly browned icing suggests that the oven temperature was too high.
Kitchen questions
One more question?
Can I use hazelnuts?
Yes. Finely ground hazelnuts can replace some or all of the almonds. They give a stronger flavour and darker colour.
How should I store them?
Cool completely and keep in a tightly closed tin. Store separately from crisp cookies because moisture transfers between different types.
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