Monday, January 23, 2012

DIY Fortune Cookies



Happy Chinese New Year!  When we lived in China we always celebrated the Chinese New Year; it's the biggest holiday in China and it would be weird if we didn't!  But since moving back to the U.S., we've always acknowledged Chinese New Year as well.  We usually celebrate by getting Chinese food and sometimes my parents would still give us the "hong bao" - the red envelopes for children (pictured above) with money in it.  I'm pretty sure I'm not getting a hong bao this year, but Caleb and I are going out for Chinese tonight.  

I thought I'd share a fun DIY for Chinese New Year.  The funny thing is I've never seen a fortune cookie in mainland China; they are strictly in American Chinese restaurants.  But they're fun to make and since you can custom make your fortunes, these would be perfect to make for any holiday or birthday or bridal/baby shower!

Fortune Cookies
4 egg whites
3/4 tsp vanilla extract
1/4 tsp almond extract
1/4 tsp salt
1 cup flour
1 cup sugar
1-2 tsp water
baking spray

Heat oven to 375 degrees.  Whisk egg whites and extracts together until light and foamy.  Whisk in flour, sugar, and salt and mix thoroughly.  The batter should be like a thin pancake batter - when you raise the whisk from the bowl, the batter should disappear as soon as it hits the surface.  I added the little bit of water to get it thin enough.

Lightly mist the backside of a baking sheet with baking spray.  Droop a heaping spoonful of batter onto the baking sheet and let it spread out until it's about a 4-inch circle.  (Continuing to add a little bit of batter in the middle of the circle will make the batter spread out evenly.)  Repeat to make 4 rounds of batter.

Bake at 375 degrees for 4-6 minutes, just until the edge of the cookie browns 1/4-inch around.  Remove from the oven and work quickly.  Using a spatula, transfer one round to your cutting board, placing it top-side down.  Place the fortune into the center, and fold the cookie in half.  Pick the cookie up and place the folded edge onto the rim of a mug and gently pull the corners down.  Put the formed fortune cookie into the well of a cupcake pan - this will hold the shape until the cookie cools and hardens completely.  Repeat with each cookie and batter until finished.  Store cookies in an airtight container once cooled completely.  Makes about 2 dozen.

source:  recipe from confections of a foodie bride

P.S.  If you want to make some good Chinese food, I suggest sweet & sour chicken or General Tso's Chicken.

28 comments:

  1. Xin nian kuai le!! We're having Chinese, too! I'm impressed with your fortune cookies! Hope you had fun making them!

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  2. How cool! It would be really fun to make your own fortune cookies because you could put your own special messages in them!

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  3. I have never thought about making my own, but I think it is about time I give it a try! xo

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  4. Such a great idea, especially for Chinese New Year or to celebrate Valentine's Day or anytime you are entertaining. It would be so exciting to open and read the messages around the table.

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  5. I couldn't wait to see what you would post today, because I knew it would be about China! And I definitely want to make these for something; funny, personalized fortunes are the best!

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  6. I have always wanted to learn how to make these, thanks for the tutorial! Have fun eating Chinese tonight!

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  7. You made these Sherriy?! Wow! Girl you are a-mazing!

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  8. There is no way I could handle the forming part of making these cookies. Mine would look terrible.

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  9. Yum! I don't like fortune cookies, to be honest. The taste, I'm just not a fan of, but I always make sure to read my fortune.

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  10. How cute! Hope you have a fun night!

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  11. This would kind of awesome for v-day. Love this idea Sherri! So clever!

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  12. Oo! I should make those - I could easily do those gluten free!!

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  13. Ha ha how neat! Happy Chinese New Year!

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  14. i have ALWAYS wanted to try and make these at home! thanks so much for sharing! xoxo

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  15. These turned out so well! Enjoy your dinner tonight. Wo ai ni!

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  16. This is so neat! These would be fun to have at a dinner party! Thanks for sharing!

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  17. how cool sherri lynn! this is my favorite post of the day. i had no clue you could make fortune cookies this easy. and definitely having chinese food for dinner tonight to celebrate.

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  18. Wow....what can you not make!? This is amazing!!

    PS- I tagged you on my post today!

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  19. This is great! I always wondered how to make these. I always thought these would be fun for your family to open when announcing big events in your life such as a pregnancy. Not that I am, but I thought it would be fun!

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  20. Holy smokes you can make fortune cookies! That's my favorite part about Chinese restaurants. How funny that they don't even serve them in China...kind of like Mexico & sour creme.....totally an American thing where they serve you sour creme w/ tacos and what not. This is awesome!

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  21. This is definitely one of the coolest DIY I have ever seen:-)

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  22. happy new year! i would expect nothing less than a diy fortune cookie from you :) enjoy the chinese food tonight!

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  23. what?? this is so fantastic! would be so fun for a party too!

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  24. How appropriate for the Chinese new year. And I love this idea. I think it'd be really fun to create some weird and entertaining fortunes and give them out to friends.

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  25. This is so nice! Definitely creative, might give it a try sometime soon :)
    http://xtheperfectmess.blogspot.com

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  26. I wish I had seen this yesterday - how cool! Totally bookmarking this for next year :-)

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  27. SOOOOO cool!!! I LOVE this!! It would be fun to put adult messages inside for the husband on Valentines Day ;) I just might do that!

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