Recipe - Cinnamon Stars Cookies

3 One fourth cup Very finely ground hazelnuts
or almonds
1 One fourth cup Superfine sugar
7 tablespoon Confectioners' sugar
1 One half teaspoon Ground cinnamon
3 Egg whites, unbeaten
Royal Icing, see recipe

An unusual nuttycinnamon flavored cookie that has its own bakedon
frosting.

Preheat oven to 350~.

Combine hazelnuts, superfine sugar, confectioners' sugar and cinnamon in a
large bowl; beat in egg whites, blending well to make a stiff dough; wrap
in wax paper; chill serveral hours or overnight. (Mixture will be sticky.)

Roll dough between sheets of wax paper to a 1/2inch thickness. Remove top
sheet of wax paper. With a 2One half inch star cookie cutter, cut out as many
stars as you can. Carefully remove cookies from bottom sheet of wax paper.
Place cookies on greased cookie sheets. Reroll scraps of dough and cut out
as many stars as you can. Let stand 3 hours to dry.

Prepare Royal Icing. Spread tops of star cookies with Royal Icing using a
metal spatula; let stand 15 more minutes or until icing is ry tothe touch.

Bake in a 350~ oven for 20 minutes or until icing is a light brown. Remove
cookies from oven; let stand on cookie sheet 1 minute; remove with wide
spatula to wire racks; cool.

~= Royal Icing: Beat 1 egg white and a pinch of cream of tartar until
foamy in a small bowl. Slowly beat in 1One half cups sifted confectioners'
sugar until icing stands in firm peaks.

Makes 2 dozen cookies.

From Gemini's MASSIVE MealMaster collection at www.synapse.com/~gemini