Very tasty and very Christmassy
I gave as prezzies last year wrapped in cellephane with pretty ribbons - really well received..
It's traditional to make Zitronen/Mandelherzen and Zimtsterne at the same time, as one uses the egg yolks and the other the whites.
Zimtsterne
Chewy, spicy, nutty cookies with a light, crispy meringue icing - this Researcher's personal favourite! The following recipe makes about two baking sheets' worth.
Ingredients
3 egg whites
250g icing sugar (a little less than 1½ cups)
Vanilla flavouring
Almond flavouring
At least 1½ teaspoons ground cinnamon (more to taste)
400g ground hazelnuts (or walnuts or almonds - about 2½ cups)
More ground nuts or powdered sugar for rolling
Method
Whip the egg whites to a very stiff froth (so that a knife cut in the mixture remains visible) and slowly add the sugar, then keep stirring until thick and glossy.
Take off and retain four heaped tablespoons (a good half cup) of the sugar/egg mixture for icing, then add the flavourings, cinnamon, and half the nuts or almonds and fold them in carefully.
Knead in enough of the rest of the nuts/almonds so as to make a stiff dough that is only just very slightly sticky, and chill the dough for about an hour.
Roll out to 1cm thickness and cut out stars. Use a knife or a brush to ice them with the remaining egg white mixture, then place on a parchment-covered or well-greased baking sheet.
Baking time is about 25 minutes in a pre-heated oven.
Electric oven: 140°C/280°F
Convection oven: 120°C/250°F
Gas: Level 1
Baking time: 25 minutes
The stars should still be slightly soft and moist underneath while they are still warm. Remove to wire racks to cool.
Zitronen/Mandelherzen (Lemon or Almond Hearts)
A crisp, dry cookie with a sweet sugar icing, totally flour-free - like crunchy marzipan. Again, the following makes about two baking sheets' worth.
Ingredients
Dough:
3 egg yolks
120g sugar (slightly over ½ cup)
Vanilla flavouring
Lemon or almond flavouring
Pinch of baking powder
200g ground almonds or nuts (about 1¼ cups)
More almonds or icing sugar for rolling
Icing:
100g powdered sugar (about ½ cup)
3 tablespoons lemon juice or amaretto
Blanched, halved almonds for decoration (optional)
Method
Dough: Cream the egg yolks and sugar until frothy, then add the baking powder and flavouring. Then stir and knead in the almonds until you have a stiff dough. Roll out to 3-5mm thickness and cut out heart shapes with a cookie cutter and place on parchment-covered or oiled baking sheets - the cookies can be made into round shapes with a drinking glass at a pinch, but that's not doing it properly!
Bake for about 10 minutes in a preheated oven.
Electric oven: 180°C/350°F
Convection oven: 160°C/325°F
Gas: Level 2-3
Baking time: 10 minutes
Pull from the parchment, ice while still hot, and remove to wire racks to cool, placing half an almond in the centre of each while the icing is still wet.
Icing: Stir two tablespoons of the liquid into the icing sugar and keep adding it drop by drop until you have a thick, but spreadable icing. Use a knife or brush to coat the hot hearts immediately after baking.
It's traditional to make Zitronen/Mandelherzen and Zimtsterne at the same time, as one uses the egg yolks and the other the whites.