These biscuits make a lovely Christmas gift. The recipe can be varied by adding finely grated chocolate and omitting the lemon zest.
6 egg whites
Pinch of salt
Pinch of cream of tartar
2 cups pure icing sugar plus extra for dusting
1 tsp cinnamon
1 1/2 tsp grated lemon zest
500-600g unblanched almonds, ground
Preheat oven to 160C. Beat egg whites with salt and cream of tartar. Gradually beat in icing sugar, cinnamon and zest. Reserve one third of egg white mixture. Fold in almonds to form a stiff dough.
Roll out the dough on a benchtop dusted thickly with pure icing sugar, until it is 3mm to 5mm thick. It is easier to do this in batches.
Cut out the cookies with star-shaped cutter. Place on greaseproof paper on a baking tray or silicone baking sheet.
Allow to dry (I put a fan on them for an hour or more). Brush with reserved egg white mixture.
Bake until crisp. Remove from oven, allow to cool on baking paper or silicone sheet before storing in an airtight tin. Stars will keep for weeks.
The best recipes from Australia's leading chefs straight to your inbox.
Sign up