Fortune cookies
Crisp folded vanilla wafers with a paper message
Fortune cookies are not from China at all: they were first sold in San Francisco and Los Angeles in the early 1900s, probably from a Japanese tea garden recipe, and Chinese-American restaurants made them famous. A thin vanilla and almond batter is baked into a wafer, then folded while hot around a paper message. Write your own fortunes for a party. Chef's tip: bake only two or three at a time; the wafers set in seconds and crack if you can't fold them fast enough.
- Total time
- 50 min
- Difficulty
- medium
- Serves
- 12
Ingredients
- 2 ⅞ oz caster sugar
- 2 tbsp neutral oil
- ½ tsp vanilla extract
- ¼ tsp almond extract
- 2 ½ oz plain flour
- 1 pinch salt
- 1 tbsp water
- 12 paper fortunesstrips of 6 × 1 cm
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Method
0/5 doneStep 1: Heat the oven to 350°F (325°F fan). Draw two 8 cm circles on baking paper, flip it over and put it on a baking tray.
5 minStep 2: Whisk the 2 egg whites and 2 ⅞ oz caster sugar until frothy but not stiff, then whisk in the 2 tbsp neutral oil, ½ tsp vanilla extract, ¼ tsp almond extract, 2 ½ oz plain flour, 1 pinch salt and 1 tbsp water to a smooth, thin batter.
3 minStep 3: Spread 1 level tablespoon of batter thinly into each circle. Bake for 7–8 minutes, until the edges are golden brown and the centre is pale gold.
8 minStep 4: Working quickly with a thin spatula, lift a wafer, lay a 12 paper fortunes strip in the middle, fold it in half into a semicircle, then bend it over the rim of a cup to crease it. Set in a muffin tin to hold the shape.
2 minStep 5: A common mistake is underbaking: pale wafers stay soft and chewy. Repeat with the rest of the batter; the cookies crisp completely as they cool.
15 min
Nutrition per serving
- Calories
- 70 kcal
- Protein
- 1 g
- Carbs
- 12 g
- Fat
- 2 g
- Fibre
- 0 g
Nutrition values are estimates.
KrazyBadal
Good to know
- How long does fortune cookies take?
- About 50 minutes in total: 20 minutes to prepare and 30 minutes to cook.
- How many people does it serve?
- 12 as written. Change the servings above the ingredients and every amount scales to match.
- Is it vegetarian?
- Yes. It has no meat or fish.
- What can I use instead of caster sugar?
- Caster sugar, same amount.
- What can I use instead of vanilla extract?
- Vanilla bean paste, same amount.
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