DECORATED STRAWBERRY FORTUNE COOKIES
INGREDIENTS:
1 egg white
3 tablespoons granulated sugar
1 1/2 teaspoon strawberry extract
1/16 teaspoon gel food coloring
2 tablespoons canola or vegetable oil
1/4 cup all-purpose flour
1/16 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon water
sugar sprinkles or melted chocolate for decoration
Supplies:
Baking Sheet
Silicone mat, parchment paper, or cooking spray
A mug to shape cookie
Muffin tins to hold cookie
Piping bag and with a small round tip or zip lock bag with a corner snipped off
Fifteen 1/3-inch x 2 1/2-inch strips of messages (DIY handwritten or printed)
INSTRUCTIONS:
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
Line a baking sheet with a silicon baking mat. Alternatively, line with parchment paper or spray with cooking spray.
In a small bowl, whisk egg white and sugar for 20 seconds. Add strawberry extract, food coloring, and oil. Whisk for another 20 seconds.
Add flour and salt. Whisk gently until the flour is just incorporated. Add water.
If desired, add more food coloring to obtain the color of your preference at this time. Whisk gently for a few seconds until the batter is smooth. It should be syrupy in thickness and should fall in ribbon from a spoon.
Using a spoon, place 2 dollops of the batter (about 2 teaspoons each), spaced far apart, on the prepared baking sheet. Using the back of a spoon, make circular motions to spread the batter into a 3 1/2-inch (approximate) wide circle that is no more than 1/8-inch thick. Add more batter if necessary. (See note below for making 3 1/2-inch round parchment paper template.)
If you want better control of the batter, place it in a piping bag instead of using a spoon to dollop onto the baking surface. Then spread into a round using a spoon.
If decorating with sugar sprinkles, sprinkle some on top of the two rounds of batter at this time.
Bake cookies for 6 to 8 minutes or until the outer 1/4 to 1/3-inch rim becomes lightly golden. Remove from oven.
Quickly transfer and flip one cookie, top side down, onto a work surface. Place a fortune across the middle. Bring the edges together to form a semi-circle. Press the edges together. DO NOT press along the fold.
Place cookie over the rim of a cup with the center of the fold sitting on top of the rim. Pull the two corners down to hug the sides of the cup. Hold for a few seconds.
Transfer to a muffin tin to help the cookie hold its shape. Continue with the second cookie.
If decorating with chocolate, place melted chocolate in a piping bag with a small round tip or in a ziploc bag with a tip cut off. Pipe chocolate onto cooled cookies. Chill for a few minutes for chocolate to set.
Store refrigerated to retain maximum crispiness. Can also tore in an airtight container at room temperature for 3-4 days.
Makes about 15 cookies.
Recipe Notes:
To form perfect circles with the batter, cut out a 3 1/2-inch round hole on a piece of paper or cardboard to use as a template. Place the template around the dollop of batter on the baking sheet and spread batter to cover the hole.
If the batter does not spread easily when forming circles on the baking sheet, adding a few drops of water to the batter remaining in the bowl will help subsequent batches spread more easily.
Cookies that are over baked may crack easily while being molded. Reduce baking time slightly.
Cookies that are under baked may fall apart while being molded. Increase baking time slightly.
Start with baking only 2 cookies at a time and increase the amount as you feel more confident.
If cookies harden before you get a chance to shape them, return to the oven for a minute to soften.