Time: 11 hours 35 minutes
Complexity: average
Quantity: 10 shaped cookies

Crispy envelopes with messages inside are widely known as Chinese fortune cookies, but, as usual, the story isn't so clear-cut. There are several theories about the origins of this unusual dessert, and three countries—China, Japan, and the United States—claim historical authorship. According to the Chinese, the ancestors of modern fortune cookies were their traditional moon cookies, which resourceful Chinese people began using as "mail" hiding places to stage a coup and overthrow the ruling Mongolian dynasty. The Mongols didn't eat moon cookies, and the coup was successful. Japan has at least two plausible traditions for the creation of the famous cookies: an ancient divination process used for decision-making, and the sharing of cookies with religious sayings by temple visitors. In the United States, there are also several theories, each citing Chinese or Japanese immigrants as the creators of fortune cookies. It is in the United States that the majority of these crispy envelopes are consumed. It's amazing how easily just one piece of paper can create an atmosphere of pleasant anticipation and celebration. We suggest taking advantage of this and preparing your own version of a New Year's treat with a surprise. A glass of champagne like this certainly won't leave you intoxicated, only delighted.

Ingredients:

Sugar cookie dough

• 2 and 1/4 cups of premium flour, plus extra for dusting the work surface
• 1/8 tsp baking soda
• 1/8 tsp fine salt
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• 1 large egg
• 165 g butter, room temperature
• 0.5 cup granulated sugar
• 1/4 cup powdered sugar
• Additional equipment: 10cm champagne flute cookie cutter; 2 pastry bags; 2 round piping tips (2mm)

Royal icing and decoration

• 450 g (about 3.5 cups) powdered sugar
• 2 tbsp. dry egg white
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• Gold gel food coloring for coloring frosting
• Black food marker, for decoration
• White and gold sprinkles for filling cookies
• White decorative sugar, as needed

Substituting ingredients
Measuring containers used

1 glass (st.) - 250 ml.
3/4 cup (st.) - 180 ml.
2/3 cup (st.) - 160 ml.
1/2 cup (st.) - 125 ml.
1/3 cup (st.) - 80 ml.
1/4 cup (st.) - 60 ml.
1 tablespoon (tbsp) - 15 ml.
1 teaspoon (tsp) - 5 ml.
1/5 teaspoon (tsp) - 1 ml.

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Preparation:

Step 1
• Sugar cookie doughIn a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, baking soda, and salt. In a small bowl, beat the eggs and vanilla.
  
  In a large bowl, beat the butter, granulated sugar, and powdered sugar with an electric mixer on low speed. Once the mixture starts to blend, reduce the mixer speed to medium and beat for 2-3 minutes, stopping to scrape down the sides of the bowl as needed, until the mixture is lightly creamy.
Step 2
• Reduce the mixer speed to low, then slowly pour in the egg mixture and beat until combined. Add the flour mixture in 3 additions; when the dough thickens, increase the mixer speed to keep the beaters spinning. Scrape down the sides of the bowl and beaters. Once all the flour has been incorporated, reduce the mixer speed to medium-high and beat until the dough is very smooth, about 5 minutes.
Step 3
• Remove the dough from the bowl and knead it. Form it into a square and wrap it in plastic wrap. Refrigerate for at least 2 hours or overnight.
Step 4
• Position racks in the upper and lower thirds of the oven and preheat to 350°F (175°C). Line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper.
Step 5
• Rolling out dough, cutting out and baking cookiesGenerously flour a work surface, then roll the dough into a square just over 3 mm thick. Using a 10 cm champagne flute cookie cutter, cut out 30 cookies, re-mixing and re-rolling the dough scraps as needed. Place the resulting "goblets" on trays and refrigerate for about 30 minutes to chill.
  
  Take 10 cookies and use a sharp paring knife to cut a rectangular hole measuring 1.2 cm x 3.8 cm in the top half of each glass (in the glass part, not in the stem).
Step 6
• Bake for about 15-20 minutes, until the cookies are golden brown around the edges. Rotate the baking sheets halfway through. Let cool completely on a cooling rack for about 30 minutes.
Step 7
• Royal icing and decorationMeanwhile, in a large bowl, combine the powdered sugar and dry egg whites. Add the vanilla extract and 5 tablespoons of water and beat with an electric mixer on medium-high speed for about 2 minutes, until the icing forms stiff, glossy peaks. Add additional water, up to 1 tablespoon, if necessary. Fit both pastry bags with round tips and fill one bag with half the white royal icing.
Step 8
• Stir gold food coloring into the remaining royal icing, drop by drop, until a beautiful golden hue is achieved. Thin the icing to the consistency of honey, adding 0.5 teaspoons at a time; if you remove a small amount and pour it back into the bowl, it should flow down and smooth out within 8-10 seconds. Transfer the gold icing to the second prepared piping bag.
Step 9
• Cut a sheet of parchment paper into 10 small strips, each approximately 5 x 1.2 cm. Use a fine-tipped pen to write a New Year's saying or wish on one side of each strip.
Step 10
• Place a sheet of parchment paper on your work surface and arrange 20 whole cookies on it. Line the perimeter of each cookie with white royal icing, following the shape of a champagne flute. Fill the base and stem of the glasses with white icing, and paint the top of each glass 6 mm (1/4 inch) with the same icing to simulate foam. Fill the remaining portion of the glasses with gold icing. Apply 3 small white dots (to simulate champagne bubbles) to the upper right or left corner of the gold-iced section. Allow the cookies to dry completely for 3-4 hours.
Step 11
• When the icing is completely set and dry, use a black food marker to write "Break to reveal!" on the gold side of 10 cookies; set aside.
Step 12
• Turn the remaining 10 decorated cookies over so the decorated side is facing down. Frost them around the perimeter with white icing. Place a hole-shaped cookie on top of each cookie, matching the bottoms of the cookies as closely as possible. Fill the holes with white and gold sprinkles. Frost the perimeter of the hole-shaped cookie with white icing.
Step 13
• Roll the papers with the text so that the ink is inside and will not come into contact with the cookies. Insert a rolled paper into the center of the sprinkle-filled indentation and cover with the remaining decorated cookies, decorated side up, trying to keep the bottom edges of the cookies as close together as possible (you may want to serve them on a tray).
  
  Allow the glaze to set completely for 2-3 hours.
Step 14
• To serve, spread a thick layer of granulated sugar on a small rimmed tray. Arrange the cookies so they float in the sugar, like champagne flutes. Serve immediately.
  
  
  Note
  
  When measuring flour, we use a spoon to pour it into a measuring cup for dry ingredients and level out any excess (if you fill the measuring cup directly from the flour packet, the baked goods will turn out too dry).

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