Christmas Star Cookies with Almonds

Sift the flour and powdered sugar separately. In a mixing bowl, combine the soft butter, sifted powdered sugar, vanilla sugar, salt, egg, and almonds. Mix to obtain a smooth dough. Add the sifted flour and mix until you achieve a smooth consistency. Form a ball, wrap it in plastic wrap. Place it in the refrigerator for 1 hour (or overnight like I do!).

Preheat your oven to 180°C. Flour your work surface. Roll out the dough to a thickness of 5 mm. Cut the cookies using a cookie cutter of your choice. Place the cookies on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper. Repeat the process until the dough is used up. Bake for 12 minutes. Let cool.

Preparation of royal icing: Sift the powdered sugar. Lightly beat the egg white to liquefy it. Mix with the powdered sugar. Stir for 2 minutes to obtain a whitish cream. Add a few drops of lemon. Spread this icing using a small wet teaspoon on the cookies. Apply the icing immediately after preparation, as it dries and hardens quickly. Let it rest for a minimum of 1 hour. Decorate as desired.

Tip: To combat softening, place the cookies in a tin with one or two pieces of sugar.