light layers of paste shall be separated from each other
by layers of butter, and the lighter and thinner these
layers can be made the better the puff paste is. A very
clever cook once said that puff paste to be perfect must
consist of eighty-four thin films of paste, alternated with
eighty-three of butter. I do not think there are many
cooks who could achieve these conditions. But at any
rate girls will understand that is the ideal, and the nearer
they can approach to it the more successful they will be.
It is for the purpose of keeping these films perfect and
separate that the pastry is cooled between the “ turns.”
If the paste were to be sticky and the butter hot, the films
could not be kept distinct ; therefore, between the rollings
or turns puff paste is put away on ice or in a cool place,
that the layers may become firm and not mi.x together in a
mass. In winter time ice may be dispensed with, and the
pastry can be put in a cool larder for half an hour. But
in summer time it is very desirable that ice should be at
hand.
Now as to the method to be adopted. Supposing we
wished to make a quantity of puff paste sufficient for a
small pie, we should take a quarter of a pound of flour
which has been sifted and is thoroughly dry, a small pinch
of salt, the yolk of one egg, a quarter of a pound of butter
which has been squeezed in a cloth to free it from mois-
ture, and six or eight drops of lemon-juice✪ Puff Paste. We pile the
flour on the pastry board or slab, and mix the salt with
it, make a little well in the centre, and put into it the egg
yolk and lemon-juice. We now with two fingers of the
right hand draw the flour into the egg yolk, and add very
gradually as much water as is required to mix the whole,
till the paste is of the consistency of the butter. When
this point is reached the paste should be worked and
kneaded on the slab till it feels smooth, soft, and clastic,
when it may be left untouched for a minute or two.
I The next thing to be done is to flour the slab lightly,
put the paste upon it, flour this also, and roll it gently till
it is large enough to hold the squeezed butter. If too
much flour is used the pastry will be spoilt. We then
place the butter in the centre of the paste, and fold the
four sides over to cover it completely. We make the
edges meet by pressing them together, and put the paste
52
The GirVs Own Cookery Book.
thus prepared upon ice or in a cool place for about ten
minutes. We now roll it till it is about the third of an
inch thick, and in doing this we must be careful that the
butter does not break through the paste in any direction.
Also we must remember to have the paste straight before
us, and to roll it straight, otherwise the flakes will be one-
sided. We then fold the paste into three equal parts,
flatten it lightly with the rolling-pin again, then turn it
round so that we leave the rough edges towards us, and
roll it again, fold it, and put it away for a quarter of an
hour, and repeat until it has had seven turns or rolls, and
been put upon ice three times, or after every other turn.
When the last turn has been given we again leave it in a
cold place for a few minutes, roll it till it is a quarter of
an inch thick, and it is ready for use.
Pastry thus made will rise to five times its original
height.
Page 31 · 1 recipe record on this page
Presented as published in 1882. 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
light layers of paste shall be separated from each other by layers of butter, and the lighter and thinner these layers can be made the better the puff paste is. A very clever cook once said that puff paste to be perfect must consist of eighty-four thin films of paste, alternated with eighty-three of butter. I do not think there are many cooks who could achieve these conditions. But at any rate girls will understand that is the ideal, and the nearer they can approach to it the more successful they will be.
It is for the purpose of keeping these films perfect and separate that the pastry is cooled between the “ turns.” If the paste were to be sticky and the butter hot, the films could not be kept distinct ; therefore, between the rollings or turns puff paste is put away on ice or in a cool place, that the layers may become firm and not mix together in a mass. In winter time ice may be dispensed with, and the pastry can be put in a cool larder for half an hour. But in summer time it is very desirable that ice should be at hand.
Now as to the method to be adopted. Supposing we wished to make a quantity of puff paste sufficient for a small pie, we should take a quarter of a pound of flour which has been sifted and is thoroughly dry, a small pinch of salt, the yolk of one egg, a quarter of a pound of butter which has been squeezed in a cloth to free it from moisture, and six or eight drops of lemon-juice. We pile the flour on the pastry board or slab, and mix the salt with it, make a little well in the centre, and put into it the egg yolk and lemon-juice. We now with two fingers of the right hand draw the flour into the egg yolk, and add very gradually as much water as is required to mix the whole, till the paste is of the consistency of the butter. When this point is reached the paste should be worked and kneaded on the slab till it feels smooth, soft, and clastic, when it may be left untouched for a minute or two.
I The next thing to be done is to flour the slab lightly, put the paste upon it, flour this also, and roll it gently till it is large enough to hold the squeezed butter. If too much flour is used the pastry will be spoilt. We then place the butter in the centre of the paste, and fold the four sides over to cover it completely. We make the edges meet by pressing them together, and put the paste
The GirVs Own Cookery Book.
thus prepared upon ice or in a cool place for about ten minutes. We now roll it till it is about the third of an inch thick, and in doing this we must be careful that the butter does not break through the paste in any direction. Also we must remember to have the paste straight before us, and to roll it straight, otherwise the flakes will be onesided. We then fold the paste into three equal parts, flatten it lightly with the rolling-pin again, then turn it round so that we leave the rough edges towards us, and roll it again, fold it, and put it away for a quarter of an hour, and repeat until it has had seven turns or rolls, and been put upon ice three times, or after every other turn. When the last turn has been given we again leave it in a cold place for a few minutes, roll it till it is a quarter of an inch thick, and it is ready for use.
Pastry thus made will rise to five times its original height.
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Puff Paste