Cinnamon Stars (Zimtsterne)

• 3 egg whites
• 1 1/4 cups granulated sugar
• 3 teaspoons cinnamon
• 1 1/2 pounds unblanched almonds, grated or finely ground
• 1 teaspoon brandy
• Extra-fine granulated sugar for pastry board

1. Preheat oven to 300 degrees.
2. Butter one or two large cookie sheets.
3. Beat egg whites and as they begin to foam and stiffen, gradually beat in sugar.
4. Continue beating until whites form stiff peaks that retain the mark of a knife blade.
5. Set aside half a cup of the whites.
6. Sprinkle remaining whites with cinnamon, one and a half cups of almonds and vanilla extract or brandy.
7. Stir together gently but thoroughly.
8. Mixture should be thick and fairly solid.
9. Add more almonds if dough is too sticky to be rolled.
10. Sprinkle pastry board with sugar and roll out dough to onefourth inch thickness.
11. Cut into star shapes with a small cookie cutter.
12. Arrange on buttered baking sheet and brush top of each cookie with a little of the reserved egg whites.
13. Bake in preheated oven about 20 minutes or until golden brown.

egg whites, sugar, cinnamon, unblanched almonds, brandy, sugar

Taken from cooking.nytimes.com/recipes/1514 (may not work)