Dishintermediatereviewed
Cinnamon stars (Zimtsterne)
Also searched as: cinnamon star cookies, German cinnamon stars
In short: Almonds, sugar and whisked egg white, no flour: the white glaze stays white only if the oven is cool enough.
Picture it
Like snow on a roof: it stays as long as the sun is not too strong.
The decisive moments
- 1Whisk egg white with icing sugar until stiff, set some aside for the glaze
Sugar stabilises the foam. It turns firm and glossy and later dries into a glaze.
Foams and whipping in air - 2Work the rest into a dough with ground almonds and cinnamon
Without flour, the egg white holds the dough together. The almonds bring fat and bite.
Proteins set (coagulation) - 3Cut out, glaze and leave to dry for a few hours
The glaze forms a dry skin and cracks less in the oven.
Evaporation - 4Bake at about 150 °C for just a few minutes (as a guide)
At higher heat, protein and sugar brown and the glaze turns yellowish. Inside, the stars should stay soft.
Maillard reaction
Meringue
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Sources · 1
- Harold McGee: On Food and Cooking (2004), Kapitel Teige und Gebäck