Reach for the stars

For the base:
450g ground almonds
150g caster sugar
75g plain flour
2.5 heaped teaspoons of ground cinnamon
4 large egg whites

For the glaze:
2 large egg whites
pinch of salt
300g caster sugar
dash of milk

Pre-heat oven to 170C.

For the base, sieve the dry ingredients. Add in the egg whites until a sticky dough is made. Cover with cling film and refrigerate for two hours.

For the meringue glaze, beat the egg whites with a pinch of salt until stiff. While beating add in the caster sugar at intervals. The glaze should be thin enough to be brushed onto the cookies. If it is too thick, then add in a dash of milk to make it creamy. It must not be too runny or it will slip off the sides of the cookie.

Take out the dough and roll to about 1cm thick. Using a star cutter, cut out the shapes and place onto a baking tray lined with parchment paper. With a brush, daub the meringue glaze onto the star cookies.

Bake the cookies for about 10 to 12 minutes. The meringue should stay white and not turn brown. Once cooled, store in an airtight container.