Middle class cookery book

pastry at short distances. . With a paste-cutter, cut out leaves or any fancy shape from the remains of the paste and decorate the tart with them. If left plain, sprinkle castor sugar over before serving (see “ Baking,” p. 40). Roll the paste out into a square, about a quarter of an inch in thickness (either short crust or rough puf! paste) ; with a round tin paste-cutter, cut out rounds of a size to fit the patty-pans ; fit a round of paste into each patty-pan ; half fill with jam. From the pieces of paste left from cutting the rounds, cut thin strips ; twist them ; lay four across each tartlet, crossing each other in a network. Bake for twenty minutes (see “ Baking,” p. 40). It is a good way of using up the paste left after covering a pie, to make it into tartlets or cheese- cakes. Put the scraps of paste one on the other, and roll out into a square. Make half the quantity of pastry given on p. 149 ; roll it out to the thickness of a quarter of an inch ; line three or four small deep tins with the paste. Beat up the egg with the sugar ; add the milk and lemon peel ; fill the lined tins nearly full with the custard ; sprinkle a little of the nutmeg over ; bake for twenty minutes, or till the custard is set. These pies can be eaten hot or cold. The custard can be put into a small pie-dish lined with the paste, instead of small tins ; lay a double strip of paste on the rim of the dish, and ornament the edge, as directed for a fruit tart. Tartlets Custard Pies Rough Puff Paste ^ Pint Milk (Cold) Pinch Grated Nutmeg 1 Egg 1 Dessertspoonful Sugar A Little Grated Lemon Peel CHAP. XII PASTRY 153 Cocoa-nut Tart 4 oz. Grated Cocoa-nut 1 Egg 2 ,, Castor Sugar Rough Puff Paste Beat up the egg ; put the grated cocoa-nut into a basin with the sugar ; add the beaten egg ; beat all up together. Line a dish with the paste ; put in the cocoa-nut ; bake for twenty minutes. Mince Pies Rough Puff Paste | Mincemeat Roll the paste out into a square a little more than a quarter of an inch thick ; lay a patty-pan on the paste face downwards; cut the paste round close to the rim with the point of a sharp knife. Cut double the number of rounds required for the patty-pans, — thus, if six mince pies are to be made, cut twelve rounds. Lay one round in each patty-pan ; put a teaspoonful of mincemeat in the middle of the paste ; slightly wet the edge of the paste ; put a round over for a cover, pressing the edges together. Bake for twenty minutes in a hot oven. When baked, slip the pies from the patty-pans on to a dish covered with a d’oyley or ornamental paper. Mincemeat 3 lb. Beef | „ Beef Suet 1 ,, Apples i ,, Sultana Raisins i ,, Valencia Raisins 1 lb. Currants If „ Raw Sugar 6 oz. Candied Reel (Mixed) ^ lb. Almonds 1 Teaspoonful Allspice 1 Lemon Clean the currants and sultana raisins ; stone and chop the Valencias; peel, core, and chop the apples; chop the beef and suet fine ; cut the peel into small pieces ; blanch and pound the almonds ; grate the rind of the lemon. Mix all well together with the sugar, allspice, and the strained juice of the lemon. Put the 151 MIDDLE CLASS COOKERY BOOK PART II mincemeat time. in a covered jar ; it will keep for some Egg OF5 Curd. Cheese-cakes J lb. Curds I 1 If, oz. Butter | 1 oz. Sugar A Little Grated Nutmeg