Instructions: Place almonds in food processor fitted with metal blade and turn on motor.

For a few seconds, you will hear the nuts clattering against the processor bowl.

The noise stops as nuts become mealy. Add about 1/3 cup powdered sugar to keep almonds from becoming too oily. Process until mixture resembles cornmeal. Add remaining powdered sugar (15 ounces total) and process for 20 seconds. Add egg whites and process until mixture just begins to clump together. Turn mixture out onto dry work surface and knead 1-2 minutes, until dough holds together. Cover dough with plastic wrap to prevent it from drying out.

Preheat oven to 300 degrees. Grease kransekake ring molds lightly with Crisco, even if you are using non-stick ones. If you are baking rings free-form, line a pan with baking parchment.

To shape dough using kransekake ring molds: Pinch off a piece of dough, press into a log, then roll the log against work surface with fingertips to make a strand the thickness of a pencil. Fill ring mold with dough, cut off excess with knife, and gently pinch edges together to seal. If your strand is not long enough to fill a mold, add needed length and pinch to seal. Repeat to fill the mold with two more strands.

To shape dough by hand: Roll dough into band as directed above. Place first band on baking pan to make a circle 2 1/2 inches in diameter. Increase size of each successive circle by about 3/8 inch.

To bake: Place in center of oven and bake until cookies are cream colored and firm to touch when very lightly pressed, 18 to 20 minutes if baking free-form or if baking a single cookie in a mold. If baking all three rings in a mold at one time, increase baking time to 22 minutes.

Let cookies cool completely, then gently loosen with tip of table knife. Pace

In airtight containers until ready to assemble, up to 2 days. Or freeze for longer storage.

To prepare icing: Before assembling, prepare icing. Place all ingredients in a deep 1 1/2-quart bowl. With an electric mixer, mix on low speed until blended, then beat at high speed until icing is thick and has a marshmallow-like consistency, 3 to 5 minutes. If made ahead, cover surface with plastic wrap to prevent drying, then refrigerate.

To assemble: Stack cookies on flat plate or cake stand, starting with largest cookie and ending with smallest. Press icing through pastry decorating tube with plain tip to make loops and swirls on kransekake. Tuck tiny paper flags between rings and decorate to suit the occasion.

Note: If you are worried about eating uncooked egg white, use powdered egg whites or the new pasteurized eggs.

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