Columnist Muriel Stevens: The lore and the knack of fortune cookies

Wednesday, May 6, 1998 | 11:14 a.m.

The history of fortune cookies, those crunchy endings to any Chinese meal, is delightfully chronicled in the "Fortune Cookie Book" by Margery Read (Cumberland House, $12.95).

Read and her family are fans of Chinese cuisine and especially fond of the cookies that come at the end. When she couldn't find fortune cookies in her local market (she lives in the country) she decided to make them herself. She filled the homemade cookies with original fortunes. Before long she was making them for gifts and for parties.

Fortune cookies are strictly an American invention, not Chinese, says Read. A number of California restaurants lay claim to being the first to offer a fortune cookie, but who really created them remains a mystery.

There is a centuries-old romantic Chinese legend about a prince so smitten with a maiden whose love was forbidden, he sent her messages hidden in small cakes and cookies. It's a charming tale that's included in this charming small volume.

A basic fortune cookie recipe, many variations and at least 500 special fortunes are also included. Try your hand at making the basic recipe. The recipe follows.

Fortune Cookies

First you bake the cookie. Then, while it is still warm, you place the fortune in the center and fold the still-warm cookie into its distinctive shape. You should bake only two or three cookies so you can fold them before they become too stiff. If the last cookie in a batch becomes too stiff, return it to the oven for about 20 seconds to soften. As soon as fortune cookies cool, they become too brittle to fold. It's important to fill and fold the cookies the moment you take them out of the oven. Soft, white cotton gloves will help you handle the hot cookies.

1/2 c. flour

1 Tbs cornstarch

1/2 c. flour

1 Tbs cornstarch

1/4 c. sugar

1/4 c. corn oil

2 egg whites

1 Tbs orange flower water

1/2 tsp orange rind, finely grated

12 to 16 fortunes on 1/2x3-inch strips of paper

Sift together the flour, cornstarch and sugar three times to mix thoroughly, and place in a mixing bowl. Add the oil and egg whites, beating at a high speed to mix thoroughly. Add the orange flower water and orange rind and mix well.

Make just 2 or 3 cookies at a time, dropping the batter by level tablespoons onto a well-greased cookie sheet. Space the cookies about 3 inches apart. Flatten each cookie with the back of a spoon or spatula until the cookie is about 4 inches wide. Bake in a 325-degree oven 10 to 12 minutes until the cookies are a light golden brown.

With a wide spatula, remove the first cookie from the cookie sheet. Immediately place a fortune in the center and fold it over to make a half-moon shape. Create a second fold by drawing the center of the folded cookie, folded side down, across a thin-edged bowl or pan and crease the cookie in half again. The place the filled and folded cookie in a muffin pan, pointed ends down, until it is cool and firm to the touch.

Use the remaining batter to bake and shape the remaining cookies. When they are all cooled, store the fortune cookies in an airtight container. Makes 12 to 16 cookies.