Sweet Victory (Cookie Recipes)

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**JACQUY PFEIFFER'S ZIMTSTERNE, OR CINNAMON STARS**

JACQUY PFEIFFER'S ZIMTSTERNE, OR CINNAMON STARS

Jacquy Pfeiffer / The French Pastry School
226 W. Jackson Blvd.; 312-726-2419
Degree of difficulty •••••
Skill level Expert
Hard-to-find ingredient Almond flour
Tasters’ comments “Nice texture–not too dry, not too gooey.” “Very good
flavor, moist, chewy.” “Weird aftertaste.”

The Zimtsterne is a traditional holiday cookie from the Alsace region of France that Pfeiffer, a chef-instructor at The French Pastry School, calls home. Representing the star in the nativity story, the festive cookie can be found during the holidays in pastry shops across Alsace.

Cookies:

5 c. almond powder
1 1/2 c. granulated sugar
1 c. confectionery sugar, sifted
1/2 c. egg whites
4 tsp. Ceylon cinnamon (available at The Spice House)
4 tsp. lemon juice

Royal icing:

1 1/4 c. confectionary sugar, sifted
4 tsp. egg whites
1 tsp. lemon juice

Using a stand mixer with the paddle attachment, mix all the ingredients together delicately until they come together into a firm dough. The dough should be firm enough to be rolled easily. If the dough is too soft, adjust by adding a little almond flour, and if the dough is too hard, adjust by adding a little egg white.

Roll between two sheets of parchment paper to a 1/2-inch thickness. Remove the upper parchment paper. Make the royal icing by mixing the three ingredients with a spatula until it comes together. With a metal offset spatula, spread thin layer of royal icing on the dough. With a cutter, cut star shaped cookies and place them on a greased cookie sheet or a cookie sheet lined with a silicone mat.

Dip the cookie cutter in water for a second before cutting shapes. This will prevent the cookie from sticking to the cutter. The leftover dough can be remixed with some additional almond flour and cut again in star cookies. Preheat the oven to 375 degrees Fahrenheit.

Place the cookies in the freezer for 30 minutes. Bake for about 10 minutes until the royal icing is golden brown. Let cool completely.

Notes:
-- Store these cookies in an airtight container. They will stay moist in the center for weeks.
-- Almond flour (or almond meal) can be made by grinding whole almonds, with or without skins, in a food processor until they turn into a powder.

Photograph: Michael Boone Photography

RECIPES:

Amy Sampson's Walnut Cookies »
Cindy Shuman's Honey Pistachio Lace Cookies »
Allison Levitt's Holiday "Mallomars" »
Mary Winslow's Chai Thumbprint Cookies With Honey Cream »
Jacquy Pfeiffer's Zimtsterne, Or Cinnamon Stars »
Gale Gand's Poinsettia Cookies »
Carrie Nahabedian's Cherry Jewels »
Pamela Fitzpatrick's Almond Polenta Cookies »