Fortune cookies

So much fun to be had with these cookies: "The fortune you seek is in the next cookie", "A good way to keep healthy is to eat more Chinese food" and our favourite, "Only a fool seeks wisdom in a cookie".

Credit: China Squirrel

• makes

  14

• prep

  10 minutes

• cook

  5 minutes

• difficulty

  Easy

Ingredients

• 2 eggwhites
• 75 g (⅓ cup) caster sugar
• 50 g (⅓ cup) plain flour, sifted
• 30 g butter, melted
• 14 paper messages

Instructions

Preheat the oven to 180C. Use a pencil to mark two 8 cm circles on a sheet of baking paper, flip paper over and place onto a baking tray.

Beat egg whites in a small bowl with an electric mixer until soft peaks form. Gradually add sugar, mix until sugar dissolves. Add flour and butter and beat on a slow speed until smooth.

Working in batches of two, place a teaspoonful of mixture onto each circle on the baking tray. Use the back of the spoon to spread evenly to cover circle completely. Bake for about 5 minutes or until golden around edges.

Working quickly loosen cookies from tray using a spatula. Place a paper message in the centre of each. Fold hot cookies in half, pressing edges together. Gently bend each cookie over the side of a glass to form a crescent shape. Place onto a wire rack to cool. Repeat with remaining cookie mixture.

Baker's tip

• Placing the folded fortune cookies into muffin tins or cups after folding helps them keep their shape while cooling.

Photography, styling and food preparation by China Squirrel.

This recipe is from Cookie Scout, our weekend cookie project. Bake with us. 

Cook's Notes

Oven temperatures are for conventional; if using fan-forced (convection), reduce the temperature by 20˚C. | We use Australian tablespoons and cups: 1 teaspoon equals 5 ml; 1 tablespoon equals 20 ml; 1 cup equals 250 ml. | All herbs are fresh (unless specified) and cups are lightly packed. | All vegetables are medium size and peeled, unless specified. | All eggs are 55-60 g, unless specified.