A guide to modern cookery

Sift one lb. of flour on to the mixing-board, and hollow it out. Put in the hollow one-third oz. of salt, one and one-half oz. of powdered sugar, an egg, one-fourth pint of cold water, and ten oz. of butter. First, thoroughly mix the butter, the egg, the water, and the seasoning, and then gradually combine the flour with it. Knead the paste; press it out twice; roll it into a ball, and wrap it up as before with the view of setting it aside in the cool to rest. 2359—DRESSING PASTE (Pate a Paté) Take one Ib. of sifted flour, four oz. of butter, one egg, onethird oz. of salt, and one-fourth pint of water. Mix as already directed ; knead twice; roll up the paste, and set it in the cool to rest. This paste should be kept somewhat firm. 2360—DRESSING PASTE WITH LARD Take one lb. of sifted flour, four oz. of lard, one-quarter pint of tepid water, one egg, one-third oz. of salt, and proceed exactly as in the case of No. 2359. 2361—DUMPLING AND PUDDING PASTES Break up ten oz. of very dry beef suet, and carefully clear it of all little pieces of skin and connective tissue. Chop it up as finely as possible; sift one lb. of flour on to the mixingboard; hollow it out; and put into the hollow one-half oz. of salt, one and one-half oz. of sugar, one-third pint of water, and the chopped suet. Mix up these various ingredients, and, by degrees, combine the flour with them. Mass the paste together, without kneading it, and put it aside in the cool until it is wanted. 2362—DRY SUGARED PASTE FOR VARIOUS PURPOSES Take one lb. of sifted flour, seven oz. of butter, five oz. of powdered sugar, three eggs, and one-half tablespoonful of orange-flower water. Mix in the usual way, knead it twice; roll it into a ball, and keep it wrapped up, in the cool, until required. 2363—PASTE FOR SMALL GUMMED TEA-CAKES Take one lb. of sifted flour, ten oz. of butter, ten oz. of sugar, one egg, the yolks of four, and a tablespoonful of orangeflower water. Mix up gradually; mass the paste together, and roll it out into a thin layer, twice. Roll if up, and let it rest awhile in the cool before it is used. 2364—GUMMING In the case of certain small cakes, especially those served at tea, it is usual to gum their surfaces in order to make them glossy. For this purpose a thin solution of gum arabic is used, and it is smeared over the cakes as they leave the oven, by means of a small brush. Cakes may also be gummed with a syrup formed from milk and sugar, which mixture may be used instead of gum arabic with advantage. 2365—GALETTE PASTE Hollow out one lb. of sifted flour and put in its midst onethird oz. of salt, two oz. of powdered sugar, one-quarter pint of water, and one-half Ib. of softened butter. Mix, taking care to include the flour only by degrees; ’ thoroughly knead, that the ingredients may be well combined, and mass the paste together without making it too elastic. Leave it to rest in the cool for at least an hour; then roll it out thrice, at intervals of eight minutes, for the reasons given under the directions for puff-paste. 2366—PUFF-PASTE (1) Sift one Ib. of flour on to the mixing-board. Make a hollow in it, and put therein one-third oz. of table salt and about one-half pint of cold water, and mix without kneading. Mass the paste together, and let it rest for twenty minutes, that it may lose its elasticity, which will be all the more pronounced for its having been very much worked. It is to avoid this elasticity, therefore, that the mixing of puff-paste should be effected with the smallest amount of kneading possible.