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1
Preheat oven to 400F.
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2
Coat a baking sheet liberally with cooking spray.
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3
In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, combine egg whites and sugar, and beat on medium speed until frothy, about 30 seconds.
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4
Add flour and salt, and beat until combined.
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5
Add butter, cream, and almond extract, and beat until combined, about 30 seconds.
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6
Leaving space for one or two more cookies, spoon 1 teaspoon of batter onto the baking sheet, and spread with the back of the spoon into an even, thin 3- to 4-inch circle; repeat.
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7
Bake cookies until the edges turn golden brown, about 8 minutes, rotating pan halfway through.
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8
Transfer baking sheet to a heat-resistant surface.
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9
Working as quickly as possible, slide an offset spatula under one of the cookies.
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10
Lift it up, and place it on a clean kitchen towel.
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11
Center a paper fortune on top of the cookie.
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12
Using your fingers, fold the cookie in half, pinching the top together to form a loose semicircle.
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13
Hold the cookie with your index fingers inserted at each open end, and slide your thumbs together along the bottom line.
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14
Press into the center while bending the two open ends together and down to form the shape of a fortune cookie.
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15
This whole process should take about 10 seconds.
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16
Once the cookie hardens, which begins to happen almost immediately, you cannot shape it.
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17
Place the cookie on the kitchen towel to cool, and shape the second cookie.
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18
Repeat until all the batter is used up.
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19
To speed up the process, bake four cookies at a time, staggering two cookie sheets by 4 minutes to give you time to shape.
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20
Cookies can be stored in an airtight container at room temperature up to 1 week.
