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.