Fortune Cookies II

Despite their reputation, fortune cookies are not Chinese. They were invented in California in the early 1900s, likely by Japanese-American bakers in San Francisco, and only later adopted by Chinese-American restaurants as a sweet ending to a meal. Either way, the homemade version is far better than anything that comes out of a plastic sleeve.

The batter is closer to a tuile than a cookie dough. Eggs whites, cake flour, and sugar mixed smooth, then spread into thin discs that bake until the edges turn deep gold. The thin spread is what gives them their characteristic snap once cool.

Write your fortunes ahead of time and have them ready next to the oven. The folding window is about 60 seconds before each cookie hardens into an unbendable disc. There’s no time to be hunting for paper while cookies cool on the sheet.

Fold each cookie individually as soon as it comes out of the oven. Place a fortune in the center, fold the cookie in half over a piece of paper, then bend the folded edge over the lip of a bowl to create the signature shape.

Use a muffin tin to hold the folded cookies upright while they cool and crisp. Without it, they spring open and you get half-folded mess.

Pro Tips

• Bake only 4 to 6 cookies per sheet. More than that and you can’t fold them all before they harden.
• Wear cotton gloves or use a thin towel for handling. The cookies must be folded while still piping hot, and bare fingers will burn.
• If a cookie hardens before you fold it, return it to the warm oven for 30 seconds to soften again.
• Store cooled cookies in an airtight container with silica or a piece of bread. Any humidity makes them lose their snap.

Variations

• Add ½ teaspoon of almond extract along with the vanilla for the more authentic Chinese restaurant flavor.
• Brush half of each cooled cookie with melted dark chocolate for an after-dinner upgrade.
• Color the batter with food coloring for themed party favors (red and gold for Lunar New Year, pastels for spring events).