The handy dictionary of cookery

Put into a bowl half a pound of flour, a quarter of a teaspoonful of baking-powder, a teaspoonful of sugar ; rub very finely into it a quarter of a pound of dripping or lard ; make into a stiff paste with a little cold water with the tips of the fingers ; form it into one lump, leaving the basin clean ; put it on a floured board and roll out only once, and it is then ready for use. Note. — Pastry should be put for the first fifteen minutes in a very hot part of the oven. See introductory notes on baking. Pastry, Flaky Crust. Place in a basin half a pound of flour ; drop in the centre the white of an egg beaten to a stiff froth, then add with the left hand just enough cold water to make a stiff paste, mixing it lightly with the right hand ; form it into a ball, leaving the sides of the basin clean. Roll it out on a floured board, cover all over with small pieces of butter, fold in three, turn the rough edges toward you, roll out again and cover with butter; repeat until you have five ounces of butter rolled in ; it will take five times rolling. The butter should be added in very small pieces.- When this is done, roll out three times and it is ready for use. Pastry, Puff. Take half a pound of Hungarian flour, pass it through a hair . sieve into a basin; make a well in the centre of the flour and pour into it a teaspoonful of lemon juice, then add just enough cold water to make an elastic dough, mixing it lightly with the tips of the fingers of the right hand ; form it into one lump, leaving the sides of the basin clean. Turn it out upon a slightly floured board and knead it vigorously until perfectly smooth, and air bubbles rise; it will take from ten to fifteen minutes ; then roll out to about half a yard in length. Put five ounces of butter into a bowl of cold water to wash out the salt ; wring it in the corner of a clean thin towel, form into a flat cake, and place it in the centre of the paste ; fold it in three, sealing up the edges all round the butter. Turn the paste round with the rough edges toward you, roll out carefully, fold in three, set it aside fifteen minutes ; repeat the rolling seven times, leaving it to stand in a cool place fifteen minutes between each rolling. Note. — If preferred, equal quantities of flour and butter may be used for puff pastry, and must be baked in a hot oven. Pastry, Rough Puff. Put into a basin half a pound of flour, and break into it a quarter of a pound of butter, leaving it in pieces the size of a filbert. Take care to have the fingers well covered with flour before- touching the butter. Make a well in the centre of the flour and squeeze in the juice of half a lemon, then add just enough cold water to make a stiff paste, and form it into one lump with the tips of the fingers ; lift it out on to a floured board, roll it out to about half a yard in length, fold it in three, turn the rough edges toward you, roll out again ; repeat until it has been rolled out three times, and it is then ready for use. This pastry may be used for meat pies or fruit tarts. Pastry, Short Crust. This is a sweet pastry, and is generally used for fruit tarts, tartlets, jam puffs, or anything sweet ; it is said to be more