Haselnussmakronen

Haselnussmakronen belong to the Advent tin, the Plätzchen, Christmas cookies, that appear on the table before anyone has admitted they've eaten half of them. They sit strongest in the south and in the old nut-growing belts, where hazelnuts make more sense than almonds, but the whole country bakes some version once the first Advent candles are lit.

Im Norden anders, im Süden anders. Some houses make Kokosmakronen with coconut, some use almonds, some set every mound on Oblaten, baking wafers, and some argue the wafer is only for bakery neatness. I use it. The Oblate keeps the soft nut mass from sticking, gives the cookie a dry footing, and lets the middle stay chewy without tearing apart when you lift it.

The rule is the egg white. Beat it to stiff, glossy peaks with the sugar worked in, then fold the roasted, cooled hazelnuts through with a light hand. The foam is the structure because there is no flour here. Crush it and the nuts sink, the oil comes out, and you get sweet little stones. Bake them pale at the edges, not brown all over. Das braucht seine Zeit, but not much. Just attention.