Lucky Purses

As I posted earlier this week, at our house we have started making Chinese food instead of getting take out.  Mostly we do this to avoid headaches and the cost, but the food really isn't difficult to make, and I've learned to make some dishes rather well.

When we did frequent restaurants, we tried P.F. Chang's a few times.  I honestly don't remember what their food was like, it didn't overwhelm me in either way of yum or yuck.  Except for one thing, a dessert called Lucky 8.  I tasted it twice but on one of our last visits, to my disappointment, it was no longer part of the menu.

For a few years I have thought about recreating the Lucky 8.  As I recall they were eight sticks made of thin spring roll dough filled with chocolate and served with a peanut butter caramel sauce and toffee bits.  I thought about how it would be difficult to fill and roll a thin stick of chocolate.  But an idea came to me, mostly inspired by images I've seen floating around the web of Hershey kisses baked inside of wonton wrappers.

I changed the order of fillings and sauce and decided on using Rolos, caramel filled chocolate candies, inside a dumpling wrapper.  A sauce of melted peanut butter and chocolate would accompany the little purses.  The name comes about from the gifts given to children on Chinese New Year.  Red envelopes are filled with money, an even amount is considered lucky {8 is the most common lucky number}.  Thus, these little tasty bites are named lucky purses.  Make some, perhaps more than eight.  They are easy and come together rather quickly.

Lucky Purses
Rolos candies, unwrapped
dumpling wrappers {recommend Shanghai style for a thinner crust}
small bowl of water {for moistening wrappers}
vegetable oil for frying
1/4c creamy peanut butter
1/2 c semi~sweet chocolate chips
toffee bits


Heat oil in small sauce pan over medium heat to about 325F.  While oil is heating {it will take a 5-10 minutes}, form purses.

Place number of wrappers needed {8-16} on a damp paper towel and fold paper towel over top to keep dough moist.  Place a wrapper on your hand, add a Rolo to the center of the wrapper.  Moisten the edges of the wrapper.  Bring edges together over the Rolo; press in side edges, then squeeze to keep together and form the purse.  Set aside while forming remaining purses.

Fry purses in hot oil for about 1 minute.  You want the dumplings to be golden but not burnt {they will cook quickly}.  Remove to plate lined with paper towels to remove oil.  Make sauce.

Place peanut butter and chocolate chips in a small sauce pan and heat over low heat to melt.  Stir frequently; once chips are melted, remove from heat and stir.  Spoon into serving ramekin.

Place lucky purses on a small serving plate and sprinkle toffee bits around them.  Place ramekin of chocolate peanut butter sauce on same plate.  Dip a lucky purse in the sauce then dab on toffee bits.

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