Almond Stars

Almond stars are delightful treats perfect for the holidays, especially during the Christmas period. Let’s see the recipe to prepare these delicious stars.

Ingredients

• 250 g almond flour
• 250 g powdered sugar
• 2 egg whites
• The grated zest of 1 untreated lemon
• A few drops of bitter almond extract (optional)
• Powdered sugar for decorating

Preparation

1. Mix in a bowl the almond flour with the powdered sugar and the grated lemon zest.
2. Whip the egg whites to stiff peaks and gently fold them into the almond mixture.
3. If desired, add a few drops of bitter almond extract to intensify the flavor.
4. Place the mixture on a work surface and roll it out with a rolling pin to a thickness of about half a centimeter.
5. Using a star-shaped cookie cutter, cut out the stars and carefully place them on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper.
6. Preheat the oven to 160 degrees and bake the stars for about 10-12 minutes or until lightly golden.
7. Let cool completely before dusting with powdered sugar.

Trivia

Almond stars are very popular in Germany and Alsace where they are known as “Zimtsterne” or cinnamon stars, due to the traditional addition of cinnamon in their dough. The recipe I provided is a more Italian version, without cinnamon but made more aromatic with the addition of lemon.

Once cooled, they keep well in tin boxes and are perfect as gifts or to accompany a coffee or tea during the Christmas holidays.