Cookery for every household

vent its soaking into the pastry and making it sodden. It must be sweetened and flavoured to taste, a little wine or liqueur being added if wished. It is always an improvement, too, if a little thick cream or custard is mixed with the fruit puree, as it softens it and makes it lighter. The cream on the top is entirely a matter of taste, but of course it adds very much to the goodness of the dish. The vol-au-vent may be finished off by simply putting the little lid of pastry over the filling, and then dredging the whole thing with fine sugar. If whipped cream is used, it will look more decorative if it is put into a forcing bag with a large rose-pipe at the end of it, and then forced out on the top of the vol-au-vent. Small pieces of fresh or preserved fruit or some chopped pistachio nuts may then be used for decorating. If a hot fruit vol-auvent is wanted, some meringue mixture should be piled, or forced out of a bag, on the top of the fruit puree and then the vol-au-vent put in a moderately cool oven until the meringue is crisp and lightly browned. (2) A nice fruit compote may be used for filling the vol-au-vent case. The fruit should be cooked in a good syrup, flavoured with a little wine or liqueur (see Fruit Compotes). Care must be taken to put very little of the syrup into the vol-au-vent case, as it would make the pastry sodden. Put in as much of the fruit as possible and even pile it high in the centre ; then pour over just a very little of the syrup. A little whipped and flavoured cream may be put on the top if wished. The remainder of the syrup and more of the fruit may be served separately. (3) Some of the softer fruits, such as strawberries, raspberries, ripe peaches cut in pieces, &c., may be used raw for filling a vol-au-vent case. They must be carefully prepared, well sprinkled with sugar and a little wine or liqueur if wished, and then mixed lightly with some stiffly whipped creams.Made with strawberries, this filling is delicious. Note. — Do not fill the vol-au-vent until shortly before serving, or the pastry will become sodden. TARTLETS AND SMALL SWEET PASTRIES To Make Tartlet Cases Almost any kind of pastry may be used for making tartlet cases, but short crust and puff pastry are perhaps the two best kinds to choose. Small scraps of pastry, if they are well rolled out, can also be used up foD this purpose. First grease the required number of patty tins or quenelle-shaped moulds and place them on a baking sheet ready for use. Roll out the pastry very thinly and cut it in rounds with a fluted cutter. The rounds of pastry should be made rather larger than the diameter of the tins, to allow of some being taken up in the depth and also for shrinkage. Press the pastry well into the moulds in order to get the exact shape, and prick it at the bottom to prevent its rising up in the baking. If the tartlets are to be filled before baking, put the mixture or jam in now, and they will be ready for the oven. If the tartlets are to be baked before filling, line them with a little piece of white paper and fill up with rice or small haricot beans to pre-