Best 2 Cinnamon Stars Zimtsterne Germany Recipes
**Cinnamon stars (Zimtsterne) are a traditional German Christmas cookie with a unique and captivating combination of flavors and textures.**
These delightful cookies are characterized by their delicate, melt-in-your-mouth texture, a hint of warm cinnamon, and a beautiful star shape that adds a festive touch to any holiday gathering. This article presents two variations of the classic cinnamon star recipe, allowing you to create both traditional and vegan versions of these beloved treats. The traditional recipe features a blend of ground almonds, sugar, egg whites, and cinnamon, resulting in a crisp and flavorful cookie. The vegan recipe, on the other hand, offers a plant-based alternative using aquafaba (the liquid from canned chickpeas) instead of egg whites, making it accessible to those with dietary restrictions. Both recipes provide step-by-step instructions, detailed ingredient lists, and helpful tips to ensure success in your baking endeavor. Whether you prefer the traditional or vegan version, these cinnamon stars are sure to become a cherished part of your holiday baking tradition.
CINNAMON STARS: ZIMTSTERNE (GERMANY)
These are a classic German Christmas cookie; you'll find them in most every household as soon as St. Nicholas' Day (December 6) rolls around. These gluten-free cookies are kind of like a cross between a macaroon and a meringue, with a hint of nutty spiciness. We find them truly addictive. They're designed to keep for a long time, they'll get chewier as time passes.
Provided by Food Network Kitchen
Categories dessert
Time 1h
Yield 2 dozen stars
Number Of Ingredients 5
Steps:
- Sift the confectioners' sugar.
- Put 1/2 cup of the sifted confectioners' sugar, 10 ounces (3 heaping cups) of the almonds and all the cinnamon in a food processor. Process until the nuts are finely ground, with just a few larger pieces.
- Whip the egg whites in a large, clean bowl with an electric mixer on high speed until they hold soft peaks, about 1 minute. Gradually add the remaining confectioners' sugar while whipping, until the whites are thick, creamy and somewhat stiff, about 2 minutes more. Set aside 2/3 cup of this meringue for topping the cookies.
- Fold the ground almond mixture and the lemon zest into the remaining meringue to make a stiff dough.
- Preheat the oven to 250 degrees F. Line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper or silicone baking mats.
- Lay a sheet of parchment or waxed paper on the work surface and lightly dust with confectioners' sugar. Turn the dough out onto the dusted paper, flatten and dust with more sugar as needed, and then lay another sheet of parchment or waxed paper on top. Roll the dough between the papers until it is about 1/4-inch thick. Flip the dough over and gently peel off a sheet of the paper. For ease when cutting, lay the paper back on the dough, flip again and gently pull off the other side of the paper so that the dough is fully released from it.
- Cut cookies with a 3-inch star cutter and place about 2 inches apart on prepared baking sheets. (Excess dough can be rerolled.) Use a small spoon, brush or offset spatula to spread the reserved meringue over the top of each cookie, taking care not to let the meringue drip over the sides. Press or sprinkle remaining sliced almonds in a decorative pattern into the meringue.
- Bake cookies until bottoms are light golden brown and meringue is set and crisp, about 30 minutes. Turn off the oven and open the oven door to release heat and dry cookies out in the oven for 10 more minutes.
CINNAMON STARS: ZIMTSTERNE (GERMANY)
Steps:
- Sift confectioners' sugar. Put 1/2 cup of sifted confectioners sugar, 10 oz (3 heaping cups) of almonds and all the cinnamon in food processor. Process until nuts are finely ground, w/ just a few larger pieces. Whip egg whites in a large, bowl w/ electric mixer on high speed until hold soft peaks, ~ 1 min. Gradually add remaining confectioners sugar while whipping, until whites are thick, creamy and somewhat stiff, ~ 2 min more. Set aside 2/3 cup of this meringue for topping cookies. Fold ground almond mix and lemon zest into remaining meringue to make a stiff dough. Preheat oven to 250. Line 2 baking sheets w/ parchment paper or silicone baking mats. Lay sheet of parchment or wax paper on work surface and lightly dust w/ confectioners sugar. Turn dough onto the dusted paper, flatten and dust w/ more sugar as needed, then lay another sheet of parchment or wax paper on top. Roll dough between the paper until ~ 1/4-in thick. Flip dough over and gently peel off sheet of the paper. For ease when cutting, lay paper back on dough, flip again and gently pull off the other side of the paper so that the dough is fully released from it. Cut cookies w/ 3-in star cutter and place ~ 2 in apart on baking sheets. (Excess dough can be rerolled.) Use asmall spoon, brush or offset spatula to spread reserve meringue on top of each cookie, taking care not to let the meringue drip over the sides. Press or sprinkle remaining sliced almonds in a decorative pattern into the meringue. Bake cookies until bottoms are light golden brown and meringue is set and crisp, about 30 minutes. Turn off the oven and open the oven door to release heat and dry cookies out in the oven for 10 more minutes. Dough can be frozen between the sheets of paper for up to 2 weeks. Store baked cookies in an airtight container for up to 10 days.
Tips:
- Use fresh, high-quality ingredients. This will make all the difference in the flavor of your cinnamon stars.
- Make sure your dough is chilled before you roll it out. This will help prevent the dough from sticking to your hands and make it easier to work with.
- Roll out the dough thinly. This will help the cinnamon stars to be crispy.
- Don't overcrowd the baking sheet. This will help the cinnamon stars to bake evenly.
- Bake the cinnamon stars until they are just starting to brown around the edges. This will help them to stay crisp.
- Let the cinnamon stars cool completely before you store them. This will help them to keep their shape.
Conclusion:
Cinnamon stars are a delicious and festive treat that are perfect for Christmas. They are easy to make and can be enjoyed by people of all ages. So next time you're looking for a special holiday treat, give cinnamon stars a try.
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