your arms will allow, — the whole length of the paste, if
possible, at every stroke. Do not attempt to roll the paste
when it is in a ball or a cubical form, but pat it lightl}^, to
make as large and flat a surface as possible before rolling.
Roll out to the thickness of one third of an inch, and to a
rectangular form. Lay one of the quarters of butter in a
little flour on the corner of the board, and roll quickly into
a long thin piece ; scrape it up with a knife, and along
the middle of the whole length of the paste. Fold over
one side of the paste, then the other, letting the edges just
meet in the middle of the butter. Do not pat it down.
Then fold each end to the middle and double again. Pound
into a flat cake and roll again one quarter of an inch thick.
Eoll another piece of butter thin, lay it on the paste, fold
the sides over, then the ends over, and then together, and
repeat the process with the remaining pieces of butter.
When the butter is all rolled in, the paste may be folded,
patted, and rolled out, two, three, or seven times, as your
strength will permit. Twice is enough for pies, three or
four times for patties ; but more are needed for a vol-au-
vent.
When the butter is of the right texture, fine, smooth,
and firm, not dry and crumbl3s and the mixing and rolling
are done so quickly and deftly that the butter does not
soften, the paste will not stick, and ver}^ little flour will be
required in rolling. Do not strike a hard blow in rolhng,
nor press the paste down to the board, but roll with a
light gentle stroke. When the paste does not slip along the
board, you may know it is sticking, and it must be lifted
at once, the board scraped clean, and floured slightly.
Should the paste become soft and stick}^, fold again,
and pat it out to the size of the pan, and put it in the
napkin between the two pans of ice. It will harden in ten
minutes, and then may be rolled easily. After all the but-
ter is in the dough, cut in two pieces, then roll and fold
one, while the other is in the ice pan. Keep the board
and pin wiped drj^, and use only a little flour, but use
enough to keep the paste from sticking.
The Boston Cook Book.
319
Keep the edges even while rolling, and fold evenly, that
there may be an equal number of layers in all parts. Each
time the paste is folded over the butter a small amount of
air is enclosed and is retained, unless the fold be patted
down and allow the air to escape at the end. These bub-
bles of air may be plainly seen when the ball of dough is
patted and rolled out, and care must be taken not to let
the air escape. For this reason roll lightly and always
from you^ as a hard motion back and forth is more liable
to break the bubbles. Roll with a fan-like sweep, a little
to the right and left, to widen it and keep the rectangular
shape ; then roll gently on the edge nearest 3'Ou, to make
it of uniform thickness. The more of the bubbles 3'ou can
retain in the paste, tlie lighter and more puffy it will be.
The number of folds or layers of butter and paste makes
the paste flak}^, but the amount of air in it makes it rise
and puff in baking.
The paste should be folded and rolled till no streaks of
butter can be seen. After the last rolling, place it on the
ice to harden, as it may then be cut and shaped more
easily. ✪ Puff Paste
Page 189 · 1 recipe record on this page
Presented as published in 1884. Historical recipes may not meet modern food-safety standards. Cook from the modern interpretation, not the original instructions.
AI-modernized reading of the original text
your arms will allow, — the whole length of the paste, if possible, at every stroke. Do not attempt to roll the paste when it is in a ball or a cubical form, but pat it lightly, to make as large and flat a surface as possible before rolling. Roll out to the thickness of one third of an inch, and to a rectangular form. Lay one of the quarters of butter in a little flour on the corner of the board, and roll quickly into a long thin piece ; scrape it up with a knife, and along the middle of the whole length of the paste. Fold over one side of the paste, then the other, letting the edges just meet in the middle of the butter. Do not pat it down. Then fold each end to the middle and double again. Pound into a flat cake and roll again one quarter of an inch thick. Eoll another piece of butter thin, lay it on the paste, fold the sides over, then the ends over, and then together, and repeat the process with the remaining pieces of butter. When the butter is all rolled in, the paste may be folded, patted, and rolled out, two, three, or seven times, as your strength will permit. Twice is enough for pies, three or four times for patties ; but more are needed for a vol-auvent.
When the butter is of the right texture, fine, smooth, and firm, not dry and crumbly and the mixing and rolling are done so quickly and deftly that the butter does not soften, the paste will not stick, and ver}^ little flour will be required in rolling. Do not strike a hard blow in rolhng, nor press the paste down to the board, but roll with a light gentle stroke. When the paste does not slip along the board, you may know it is sticking, and it must be lifted at once, the board scraped clean, and floured slightly.
Should the paste become soft and stick}^, fold again, and pat it out to the size of the pan, and put it in the napkin between the two pans of ice. It will harden in ten minutes, and then may be rolled easily. After all the butter is in the dough, cut in two pieces, then roll and fold one, while the other is in the ice pan. Keep the board and pin wiped dry, and use only a little flour, but use enough to keep the paste from sticking.
The Boston Cook Book.
Keep the edges even while rolling, and fold evenly, that there may be an equal number of layers in all parts. Each time the paste is folded over the butter a small amount of air is enclosed and is retained, unless the fold be patted down and allow the air to escape at the end. These bubbles of air may be plainly seen when the ball of dough is patted and rolled out, and care must be taken not to let the air escape. For this reason roll lightly and always from you, as a hard motion back and forth is more liable to break the bubbles. Roll with a fan-like sweep, a little to the right and left, to widen it and keep the rectangular shape ; Then roll gently on the edge nearest you, to make it of uniform thickness. The more of the bubbles you can retain in the paste, the lighter and more puffy it will be. The number of folds or layers of butter and paste makes the paste flaky, but the amount of air in it makes it rise and puff in baking.
The paste should be folded and rolled till no streaks of butter can be seen. After the last rolling, place it on the ice to harden, as it may then be cut and shaped more easily.
Records on this page
Puff Paste