Cinnamon Stars

Salzburg Mountain Advent in the Grossarltal Valley is one of SalzburgerLand’s most atmospheric Advent markets. The Advent market, with around 30 lovingly decorated huts, is open every Advent weekend until 20^th December 2020. Homemade treats, unique handicrafts and the special atmosphere make the Mountain Advent a wonderful experience in the run-up to Christmas. The carved Nativity scene on the village square, Christmas workshop and Nativity path with its 15 different stations are also well worth the visit.

It’s also incredibly atmospheric in the children’s biscuit bakery in the Marktcafé Kreuzer. During weekends and the public holiday throughout Advent between 3 pm and 5 pm, families can watch experienced pastry chefs at work and bake along too. It goes without saying that tasting is also allowed! Because you can eat biscuits much quicker than they are baked, you can also take away the biscuit bakery’s finest recipes. Such as this recipe for delicious cinnamon stars.

For approximately 45 biscuits you will need:

• 3 egg whites
• 250g icing sugar
• 1 drop bitter almond extract
• 1 tsp cinnamon
• 1 sachet vanilla sugar (to make your own, combine a few drops of vanilla extract to taste with 2 teaspoons of caster sugar)

• 300g ground almonds

• Icing sugar for rolling out
• Granulated sugar for the shapes

Method:

First, beat the egg white until stiff. Then, pass the icing sugar through a fine sieve and fold it into the beaten egg whites.  The mixture should now have a good silky shine to it. Take two tablespoons from this mixture and set it aside.

Take the remaining mixture and add the bitter almond extract, cinnamon, vanilla sugar and approximately half of the ground almonds. After you have carefully folded all the ingredients together, add as many more ground almonds as you like until the dough is almost no longer sticky (just keep tasting it 😊)

Now warm the oven up to 150C. Dust the work surface with icing sugar and roll your dough out to approximately 5mm thick. Use a star-shaped cutter to cut the cookies out into beautiful star shapes. Keep sprinkling the cutter with icing sugar so that nothing sticks to it. Lay the finished stars out on a baking tray lined with baking paper.

Before putting the stars in the oven, brush them again with the mixture of the set-aside egg whites and approximately ½ teaspoon of water. Now bake the stars in the oven for approximately 20 to 30 minutes. We wish you lots of luck!

You can try your hand at making this recipe, and many others, in the children’s bakery room at the Mountain Advent in the Grossarltal Valley. How do succulent “Kokosbusserl” (coconut kisses biscuits) or wispy “Vanillekipferl” (vanilla biscuits) sound? Hmmm…