Makes 24
Ingredients
1 3/4 cups (250g) plain flour
2/3 cup (150g) caster sugar
2/3 cup (70g) ground almonds
1 pinch cinnamon
200g unsalted butter
2 egg yolks
½ teaspoon vanilla bean paste
1 egg yolk, extra
1 dessertspoon milk
50g blanched almonds
These Almond Stars are as pretty as they are delicious!
I get super excited about Christmas and it’s never too early to start my Christmas baking or to put the Christmas tree up. To be honest, if I had my way, I’d have the Christmas tree up all year round, seeing as we put it up for for the whole month in Christmas in July, it seems almost mean spirited to take it down for the months between July and December!
Deciding on a good time to make these cookies is far less contentious! Don’t wait for Christmas to make these delicious golden cookies, they don’t have to be star shaped, just use your favourite every day cookie cutter and make them all year round. They’re simply too tasty to make once a year! It’s the combination of the almond meal in the cookie, the naked almond on the cookie and that delicious milky glaze that gives the cookie it’s golden colour. These biscuits are just the ticket and go great with a cuppa.
So before I put the kettle on, tell me, when do you put your Christmas tree up?
How to – Traditional
- Preheat oven to 180 C/160 C fan-forced. Combine flour, sugar, ground almonds and cinnamon in a bowl. Rub in the butter until mixture resembles breadcrumbs. Line 2 trays with baking paper.
- Beat eggs and vanilla together then add to the butter mixture and mix to a dough. Wrap in plastic and refrigerate for an hour.
- Line a baking tray with baking paper. Roll out the dough on a floured surface to a thickness of 7mm. Cut out shapes using a star cutter and place them on the baking tray.
- Beat the extra egg yolk with the milk and brush the mixture on the top of the stars. Press an almond into the centre of each star and bake for 10 minutes or until golden brown.
- Remove from the oven, leave on trays for 5 minutes and then move to a wire rack to cool.
How to – Thermomix
- Preheat oven to 180 C/160 C fan-forced. Line 2 trays with baking paper.
- Combine flour, sugar, ground almonds and cinnamon in TM bowl. Mix for 5 seconds on speed 6.
- Add the butter and mix again for 5 seconds on speed 6 until the mixture resembles breadcrumbs.
- Transfer the flour mixture to a large bowl and set aside. Add the egg yolks and vanilla bean paste to TM bowl and mix for 5 seconds on speed 4.
- Add the flour mixture to the TM bowl. Set the dial to the closed lid position and mix for about 30 seconds on interval speed until a dough is formed. Turn dough out onto a board and bring together. Wrap in cling film and put in the fridge for about an hour.
- Line a baking tray with baking paper. Roll out the dough on a floured surface to a thickness of 7mm. Cut out shapes using a star cutter and place them on the baking tray.
- Beat the extra egg yolk with the milk and brush the mixture on the top of the stars. Press an almond into the centre of each star and bake for 10 minutes or until golden brown.
- Remove from the oven, leave on trays for 5 minutes and then move to a wire rack to cool.
