The English-Chinese cookery book

With regard to the proper thickness of pie crust — A pie in which the fruit forms one third of the thickness, and the two crusts the other two thirds, although it may look nicer, is neither so healthful, or good as one made with thinner crust and plenty of fruit. Some fruit requiies thicker crust than others; for apple, peach, &c. it should be thin as a plate, for juicy fruits, such as berries, cherries, plums, and for mince, it should be a little thicker. Lay some of the trimmings round the rim of the plate to make the edge of the pie look well, and put the rest by themselves, and when there are enough, roll them out for an under-crust. In making cherries, currants, &c. into pies, use deep dishes, and be careful not to fill them even full, as the syrup will boil over, and thus much of the richness of the pie be lost. There is one way to prevent the loss of syrup. After laying in the fruit, or mince, and rolling out the upper-crust, wet the rim - 80 PASTRY — continued. of the under-crust all round with cold water, not omitting a single spot, (if you do the syrup will escape at that spot), and sprinkle a very little flour upon it, lay the trimming upon the rim, wet and flour that in the same manner, then lay the upper-crust immediately over, and press it down gently upon the rim. The flour and water act as a paste to fasten the crusts together. Trim the edge as before, and prick the top eight or ten times with a fork. This is necessary for the escape of steam, and without it, the closing of the edge wall not avail to keep in the syrup. It is a good way to invert a teacup in the centre of a juicy fruit-pie. A clammy lower crust is neither good nor digestible. Therefore never fill pies made of moist materials until just before putting them into the oven. Pie crust becomes yellow from standing long before being baked ; therefore delay rolling out the upper crust for any kind of pies until the oven is nearly ready. Pastry should be baked in a quick oven to be light, and be slightly browned to be healthy. It is difficult to make flaky crust in warm weather. But cooling the butter and water with ice, and making up the pastry in a cool place will insure tolerable success. ffl m it m m m m m z m.-g, n, m * 4 * z m m M ® ffl m vft.vft m ** & m m z n m m m m m HR a $ m a * st » & if '>\- o m.# a, - hsls i i i » a m » s t » m m n tr m & % js,® a a, itt m 7i je <&•,»,» » g,B & M»{ _ mm b.b m a ^ m « z. it a ^ n m & m m & - nf 41 ® ^ A 46 ^ f*,HS ® fflJifcSI^Bd1**: it.® » ^ ®,*i <f # ffl m.ffi DR B # X O S.S ft $ H,- ffl » fi = B ft ft SI ft mo& » ft in B * IB m ft, ft K ^ 'R 'P ffl ft.ft SfflSAZ SHE ^ * fr IS ».« ¥ » 5tt * — 81 * m * K « in.'/o n 1 f f i ^ S & « m pi # m § t v®. w - f m » f it lit ® ± ± ✓j,- ® pf -tkoK I? iffi $RM StIOS |e OAiiOtf f 7J.V® £ fi gf gf p — li. ;£ if hK fffi J£ SB •P If jg.a £ it m m'n ffl & = & % »•£ 2 x * ;l a Jps '».* S o°* « IS ft* * 5 g f |»IA tti«— ffl #*ft T' ^ $ *®»® ff *& & 15 ril % PJ *it W lit SI US K ¥ # f4 = ^ ^ 1 1 f f t # * m * JR J^i$n ffi ZV% 1 it J? Jg.fto f 1 lit,-, ft fa Hi ft » o H "t,** z**n&fts»ia m - §£ s $ pj n ^JSciE «,Jff li.tii «.ig *1 £ ± !® ffi Sft.ft -toopj Ig o BA H & 4; « 51 K f® - -t.il Jt = ft § «.« M £ « M Ji * ».£ H © £ # * pT0® g a. a 1 i.f « ^ *.* -.* *iMfc o a.» ± £ m ts ^ in » # t til fe.ifi # ^ * # n itt #,t®