Fortune cookies are a fun way to end a family meal, and easily bought in most Chinese supermarkets. But they are also fun to make - and if you make them yourself you will be able to add your own "fortunes" (or get the kids to write some out to include, which is sure to get them giggling).
Ingredients (makes 12):
1 egg white
Tiny amount of vanilla extract
1 pinch salt
1/4 cup unbleached all-purpose flour
1/4 cup white sugar
Directions:
Write your fortunes on strips of white paper approximately 4 inches by 1/2 inch.
Preheat the oven to 400F (200C, Gas Mark 5), and grease two cookie sheets.
Beat the egg white and vanilla until foamy but not stiff. Sift the flour, salt, and sugar and fold gently into the egg white mixture.
Place a teaspoonful of the batter onto one of the prepared cookie sheets, and tilt the sheet to encourage the batter to form into a nice round shape about 3 inches in diameter. Repeat, leaving at least 2 inches between the cookies, and sticking to no more than 2 or 3 per sheet as you will need to work with them quickly while they are hot.
Put the first sheet into the oven and bake for about 5 minutes, watching carefully, until the cookie has turned a golden colour around the outer edge of the circle (the center should remain pale; see the photo above). While you are waiting, prepare the next cookie sheet.
Once cooked, remove from oven and very quickly lift one of the cookies with a spatula or fish slice and turn upside down onto a wooden board. Place the fortune in the middle of the cookie and fold the cookie in half. Place the folded edge across the rim of a cup or glass and pull the pointed edges down, one on the inside of the cup and one on the outside. Stand the folded cookies in the cups of a muffin tin or egg carton until they cool so that they hold their shape.
