We live in San Francisco. Our city has a large Chinese population and we all get excited for the Lunar New Year around here! Each year I decided to make different Chinese based recipes. Now granted, fortune cookies are an American invention. You won’t see these in mainland China. I grew up with them being offered at the end of a Chinese restaurant meal. Crisp and sweet with a hint of almond they paired so perfectly with the green tea being served. These are fun to make and don’t require much skill. Give yourself a couple of hours to complete. Enjoy!
Ingredients:
3 large egg whites
3/4 cup sugar
½ tsp salt
1/2 cup butter melted
1/4 tsp vanilla extract
1/4 tsp almond extract
3 tbsp water
1 cup all purpose flour (5 oz by weight)
Additional items:
Egg carton
Glass
Fortunes
Offset spatula
Silpat mat or parchment paper
Hot gloves so that you can handle the hot cookie more easily(not necessary)
Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F. Line a sheet pan with parchment paper or a silicone mat, and have your fortune strips ready to go.
Make the batter:
In a stand mixer (or large bowl with a hand mixer), whip the egg whites and sugar on high speed for about 2 minutes, until frothy. Whip in the melted butter, vanilla, almond extract, and water until incorporated. Add the flour and mix until the flour *just* disappears.
Place on pan:
With a tablespoon measure, spoon the batter onto the parchment paper and spread it out into an even 3 inch circle. Make sure the batter is thinly spread. If the batter circle is too thick, your cookie with tear and not be crunchy once cooled. If it is too thin kit willturn dark brown and crumble too easily. It may take some experimental cookies to find your perfect amount. Oh, darn, more to sample:)
Do only 2-3 at a time, since they set very quickly and you will not be able to fold more than that. *I set timer for 12 minutes and put one pan in oven. At 8 minutes I put second rack in oven. Took out first ones at 8 minutes then second pan out at 12. Repeat.
Bake the fortune cookies for 7-8 minutes, until the edges brown slightly.
Flip over cookie w offset spatula. Put fortune in the middle. Fold in half. Take the hot folded cookie and droop over the edge of a glass to make crimp. Place in an egg carton to cool. Enjoy!
