Bredele: Alsatian cinnamon stars
Bredele, Zimtsterne or étoiles à la cannelle, for the Alsace Christmas tin
From the start of Advent, kitchens across Alsace turn out bredele, dozens of kinds of little Christmas biscuits kept in tins and offered to every visitor until New Year, while the markets in Strasbourg and Kaysersberg sell them by the bag. Cinnamon stars are among the most loved: chewy almond and cinnamon biscuits with a crisp white meringue top, and no flour at all. They take patience rather than skill and keep for weeks, so families make them early in December. The same dough also works rolled into small balls. Chef's tip: spread the meringue on the rolled sheet before you cut the stars, rather than icing each biscuit; it is far quicker and gives a clean, sharp edge.
- Total time
- 57 min
- Difficulty
- medium
- Serves
- 12
Ingredients
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What you'll need
Spices & pantry
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Method
0/7 doneStep 1: Whisk 2 egg whites to stiff peaks. Add 9 oz icing sugar a spoonful at a time, whisking, then add 1 tsp lemon juice and whisk for 3–4 more minutes until the meringue is thick, glossy and holds a firm peak.
8 minStep 2: Set aside 5 heaped tablespoons of the meringue for the tops and cover it. Fold 10 ½ oz ground almonds and 1 tbsp ground cinnamon into the rest to make a firm, slightly sticky dough. Chill for 30 minutes.
30 minStep 3: Dust the work surface with ground almonds and roll the dough out 8 mm thick, rolling between sheets of baking paper if it sticks.
Step 4: Spread the reserved meringue thinly and evenly over the whole sheet with a palette knife.
Step 5: Cut out stars with a 5 cm cutter, dipping it in cold water between cuts so the meringue does not drag. Lay them on lined trays and leave to dry for 1 hour, until the tops feel dry to the touch. Gather the scraps, re-roll and cut more.
60 minStep 6: Heat the oven to 300°F (275°F fan). Bake for 10–12 minutes, until the bottoms are just firm and the tops are still white. Common mistake: baking them until they colour; they turn hard and the icing goes beige, when they should stay soft and chewy inside.
12 minStep 7: Cool on the trays, then store in an airtight tin. They soften a little and taste better after 2 or 3 days, and keep for 3–4 weeks.
Nutrition per serving
- Calories
- 230 kcal
- Protein
- 6 g
- Carbs
- 24 g
- Fat
- 13 g
- Fibre
- 3 g
Nutrition values are estimates.
KrazyBadal
Good to know
- How long does bredele: Alsatian cinnamon stars take?
- About 57 minutes in total: 45 minutes to prepare and 12 minutes to cook.
- How many people does it serve?
- 12 as written. Change the servings above the ingredients and every amount scales to match.
- Is it vegetarian?
- Yes. It has no meat or fish.
- Is it gluten free?
- Yes, as written. Check the labels on stock, sauces and spice mixes, which sometimes contain gluten.
- Can I make it ahead?
- Yes. It keeps well, so you can cook it earlier in the day or the day before and reheat it.
- What can I use instead of icing sugar?
- Caster sugar, same amount.
- What can I use instead of lemon juice?
- Lime juice, same amount.
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