Best 2 Christmas Stars Recipes
**Christmas Stars: A Festive Treat for the Holiday Season**
As the holiday season approaches, many people look for special treats to share with their loved ones. Christmas stars, also known as vanillekipferl, are a popular choice due to their unique crescent shape and delightful flavor. These cookies are a staple of German Christmas baking and can now be found in many homes around the world. This article presents a collection of three Christmas star recipes that cater to different tastes and dietary preferences. The first recipe is the classic version, made with ground walnuts, vanilla sugar, and a touch of rum. The second recipe is a gluten-free alternative, using almond flour and coconut flour instead of wheat flour. The third recipe is a vegan version, made with plant-based butter and almond milk. With detailed instructions and helpful tips, this article ensures that bakers of all skill levels can create these festive treats to enjoy with their family and friends during the holiday season.
CINNAMON STARS (ZIMTSTERNE) GERMAN CHRISTMAS COOKIES
This is the one cookie my husband requested our first Christmas. I had never had them so this recipe is from an amazing blog called Spoonful of Sugar. They are difficult but this recipe makes them also delightful and fun to try if you have the time. The best thing about this recipe (besides the sit down, relax, and have a cup of tea step!) is she gives you her hints after a disastrous first attempt. If you follow this exact, even a non-careful cook like me can make these delicious. Her hints are below, but I will say that I think much depends on the almonds. If they aren't ground just right, you will be nearly unable to form them. You can try chilling them longer but I have given up before and just made them round globs. they are still delicious, so don't throw the batter out, even if you think it is unworkable! * I beat the egg whites with the lemon juice to ensure that they whipped up to the biggest possible volume. * Mixed the ground cinnamon with the ground almonds before folding that mixture into the meringue. * Most importantly, I rolled the dough out between two sheets of clingfilm (Plastic wrap). I am the Clingfilm Queen! This eliminates the need to cover the work surface in extra sugar and thus removes the possibility of things ending in a sticky mess. Divide the dough into smaller portions to do this, keeping the remainder of the dough in the fridge whilst working with one portion. * Dipped the cookie cutter in some cold water to prevent it sticking. * Re-rolled all the scraps as they hadn't been toughened or made overly sticky by adding in extra sugar. The cookies taste as good as they look. Sweet, almondy, and with a heavenly aroma and kick from the cinnamon. Oh, I did have to bake them a lot longer than the recipe or. I did 320 degrees for I think around 16 minutes each, it might have been my oven, or mine were thicker, anyway just keep checking them and take them out when they just get a bit beige. My first batch were undercooked and the ones a bit crispier on the outside were awesome.
Provided by Andolisa
Categories Dessert
Time 1h40m
Yield 30-40 cookies
Number Of Ingredients 6
Steps:
- Separate egg yolks from whites and beat whites until stiff peaks form.
- Slowly sift in the sugar and lemon juice, then beat some more for about 8 minutes.
- Put aside 4 heaped tablespoons of the meringue - this will be used to top the cookies later on.
- Add ground almonds and cinnamon to the remaining meringue and mix well. You might want to add a dash of rum or Amaretto.
- Cover the dough and let it rest in the fridge for about an hour.
- Sit down, relax and have a cup of tea.
- After an hour fetch the dough from the fridge.
- Preheat the oven to Gas Mark 3/160C/320°F.
- Sprinkle a surface with confectioners' or regular white sugar and roll the dough to approximately 5 mm.
- Cut the stars with a star shaped (yes, indeed!) cookie cutter.
- Put the stars on the lined baking sheet.
- Now get the reserved meringue from earlier. You might have to stir it a bit so it becomes a smooth mix. You also might want to add some more lemon juice. It's a matter of taste.
- Now brush the cookies with the topping and bake them for about 8 minutes.
- Cool on the baking sheet.
- Store in an air-tight tin.
- The cookies should keep for about two weeks.
CHRISTMAS STARS
A festive sandwich style cookie. Excellent for Christmas or New years' celebrations.
Provided by anonymous
Categories Desserts Cookies Sandwich Cookie Recipes
Time 4h45m
Yield 24
Number Of Ingredients 9
Steps:
- In a large bowl, cream butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Gradually add eggs and vanilla. Mix well. Sift together flour, baking powder, and salt. Stir flour mixture into the butter mixture until well blended. Divide dough in half and wrap in plastic. Refrigerate dough for three hours.
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Grease two cookie sheets or line them with parchment paper.
- On a floured surface, roll out half of the dough to 1/8 inch thickness. Cut dough into star shapes using a 3- to 4-inch star cookie cutter. Using a 1- to 2-inch star cookie cutter, cut a star into the center of half of the big stars. Place the full stars on one cookie sheet and the "tops"--the cookies with the center cutouts--on another. Sprinkle colored sugar on the star tops, if desired.
- Bake in preheated oven until edges are golden brown, 6 to 8 minutes. Allow cookies to cool completely. (You can re-roll the mini stars cut out of the centers, or bake them separately for about 5 minutes.) Repeat with remaining cookie dough.
- After cookies cool completely, spread 1 teaspoon of preserves in the center of each full star cookie. Place a cut-out cookie on top of the layer of preserves. Pack cookies between waxed paper in a covered tin to preserve freshness.
Nutrition Facts : Calories 157.7 calories, Carbohydrate 23.7 g, Cholesterol 30.8 mg, Fat 6.3 g, Fiber 0.4 g, Protein 1.9 g, SaturatedFat 3.8 g, Sodium 91.5 mg, Sugar 11.4 g
Tips:
- For a neater appearance, trim the puff pastry edges before baking.
- If the jam is too thick, stir in a little water or lemon juice to loosen it up.
- For a more intense flavor, use a good quality jam or preserves.
- If you don't have a star-shaped cookie cutter, you can use a sharp knife to cut out star shapes from the puff pastry.
- To make the stars extra shiny, brush them with a little melted butter or egg wash before baking.
- These stars can be made ahead of time and frozen. To freeze, place the unbaked stars on a baking sheet and freeze for 30 minutes. Then transfer to a freezer-safe bag and freeze for up to 2 months. To bake, preheat the oven to 400 degrees F (200 degrees C) and bake the frozen stars for 15-20 minutes, or until golden brown.
Conclusion:
These easy and delicious Christmas stars are the perfect treat for the holiday season. They're made with just a few simple ingredients and can be decorated with a variety of toppings. Whether you're looking for a festive snack or a sweet gift, these stars are sure to be a hit. So, put on your apron and get baking!
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