Zimtsterne

While I haven't quite perfected this recipe, I've decided to go ahead and share it for one of the Soldiers I work with. His wife is always on the lookout for gluten-free recipes, and this one definitely fits the bill. The cookie reminds me of my childhood in Germany. It's an almond-based cookie that is slightly sweet with just a touch of lemon and cinnamon. The cookie is called Zimtsterne, literally translates to "cinnamon stars." I made this batch a wee bit thick, and a maybe a wee-bit dry, but even so, they were quite delicious! This isn't the easiest recipe I've blogged, but it's not super difficult, so don't be afraid to try it. I found this version of Zimtsterne on Pinterest, of course.

2 1/4 cups confectioners' sugar, plus more for rolling
10 ounces sliced almonds, with skin, (for finely grinding)

5 ounces sliced almonds
1 1/4 tsps ground cinnamon
3 large egg whites, room temperature
2 tsps finely grated lemon zest

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 oven to 250 degrees F. Line two 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.

Busy baker's tips: The 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.

Almond Danish Puff

I am so far behind in my blogs. My kitchen occupied most of my weekends through March and April. I sanded and restained my cabinets and painted the walls. It was a lot of work, but it was so worth the effort. I managed to cook and bake a little bit, but sitting down and typing up the blogs for what I was making just didn't seem to happen. So, now I'm trying to catch up. This little number here is absolutely worth your time. It takes a bit from beginning to eating, but the prep itself didn't take very long, and isn't very complicated. I found the recipe on Pinterest: Almond Danish Puff. 

Base

1/2 cup butter, softened
1 cup all-purpose flour
2 Tbsps water

Topping

1/2 cup butter
1 cup water
1 tsp almond extract
1 cup all-purpose flour
3 eggs

Creamy Almond Glaze

1 1/2 cups powdered sugar
2 Tbsps butter, softened
1 tsp almond extract
1-2 Tbsps warm water or 1 -2 Tbsps milk
sliced almonds

Heat oven to 350ºF.

Cut 1/2 cup softened butter into 1 cup flour, using pastry blender or crisscrossing two knives, until particles are size of coarse crumbs.

Sprinkle 2 tablespoons water over mixture; mix with fork. Gather pastry into ball; divide in half or quarters. Pat each piece into a rectangle, 12x3 inches (if two) or 6x3 inches (if four), about 3 inches apart on ungreased cookie sheet.

Heat remaining 1/2 cup butter and 1 cup water to rolling boil in 2-quart saucepan; remove from heat. Quickly stir in almond extract and 1 cup flour. Stir vigorously over low heat about 1 minute or until mixture forms a ball; remove from heat. Add eggs; beat until smooth.

Spread half of the topping over each rectangle. This was my first attempt at making these, so here's a lesson learned: you see I did not spread the topping to the edge of the bottom pastry. You should definitely spread it to completely cover the bottom pastry!

Bake about 1 hour or until topping is crisp and brown; remove from pan to wire rack. Cool completely.

While pastry cools, make the almond glaze. Mix 1 1/2 cups powdered sugar, 2-3 tbsp softened butter, 1 tsp almond extract, and 1-2 tbsp warm water or milk until smooth and spreadable. When the pastries are completely cooled, spread the glaze over them.