Confucius Says: Try this Romantic Treat!

Make your own good fortune with homemade fortune cookies. Delicious and
romantic, the real treat comes when you write your own message inside - and be as creative as you want! Lucky numbers? Try your anniversary date. And feel free to borrow our Confucius pun!

The recipe below makes about 6 - which leaves some room for practice getting the perfect shape.

Ingredients:

1 egg white
1/8 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 pinch salt
1/4 cup unbleached all-purpose flour
1/4 cup white sugar


1. Write fortunes on strips of paper about 4 inches long and 1/2 inch wide.
Get creative!

2. Preheat the oven to 400. Butter a cookie sheet. Generously grease 2 cookie sheets.

3. Mix the egg white and vanilla until foamy but not stiff. Sift the flour,
salt, and sugar and blend into the egg white mixture.

4. Place teaspoonfuls of the batter at least 4 inches apart on one of the
prepared cookie sheets. Tilt the sheet to move the batter into round shapes
about 3 inches in diameter. Be careful to make batter as round and even as
possible. Tip: Start with 2 or 3 on your first try because the cookie have to be really hot to form them and once they cool it is too late. Of course, any misshaped ones are still delicious for you to snack on!

5. Bake for 5 minutes or until cookie has turned a golden color 1/2 inch wide around the outer edge of the circle. The center will remain pale.


6. Remove from oven and quickly move cookie with a wide, well sprayed spatula and place upside down on a wooden board. Quickly place the fortune on the cookie, close to the middle and fold the cookie in half. Place the folded edge across the rim of a measuring cup and pull the pointed edges down, one on the inside of the cup and one on the outside. Place folded cookies into the cups of a muffin tin or egg carton to hold their shape until firm.

7. Let cool then watch your partners face light up when they get their
customized fortune (and a delicious dessert)!