Experimental cookery

Place the weighed flour and the salt in a bowl, add the fat, and cut into the flour with a fat cutter. The fat may be worked into the flour by rubbing between the tips of the fingers. The fat should be mixed with the flour until the mixture resembles coarse corn meal. The number of strokes required to cut the fat into the flour will vary, the hard, cold fats requiring far more strokes than the softened fats or the oil. A record may be kept of the number of strokes required for comparison of ease of mixing. In mixing the fat with the finger tips, work quickly so as not to melt the fat. Compare your fat and flour mixture with your neighbors' to see if they are about the same consistency. Add the water in such a manner that it is distributed rather evenly over the flour mixture. Cut the water into the fat and flour, or stir with a two-tined fork. The pastry rolls better if allowed to stand about 5 minutes after mixing. Then work into a ball, using 8 motions of the hand to get the material to- gether. In rolling the pastry some can be rolled without adding flour to the board, but do not use more than 1 teaspoon of flour for each pastry. The pastry may be rolled between boards y% to 3/16 inch in thickness, which are tacked to the bread board. Strips of wax paper just wide enough to fit between the cleats may be used for rolling and handling the pastry. One piece of paper is placed between the cleats. The dough to be rolled is placed on this paper and a second sheet of paper is placed over the dough. After rolling the top paper is removed. The dough is lifted on the lower sheet of paper and is placed on the baking sheet or tin by inverting the paper, pressing lightly, and then removing the paper. If the dough is rolled in long strips, it should be shaped into a long strip before rolling. For the pastries in which the proportion of ingredients is changed until they will not roll easily, the pastry can be partially rolled, then placed in the pan and patted quickly to the same thickness as the rolled pastry. If the pastries are not the same thickness they bake differently and require different lengths of time for baking. Bake in pans of the same size, shape, and material. Bake at 220° to 225°C. (425° to 435°F.), until a light golden brown. A. To determine the proportion of water to give a desirable pastry with the brand of flour used. 1. Use 24 grams or cc. of water for the full recipe. Mix 40 strokes with a two- or three-tined fork. 2. Repeat Al, but use 30 grams or cc. of water for the full recipe. 3.. Repeat Al, but use 36 grams or cc. of water for the full recipe. 4. Repeat Al, but use 42 grams or cc. of water for the full recipe. B. To determine the extent of mixing required to give a desirable pastry. 1. Prepare the full recipe, using lard or other fat. Cut the fat into the flour as outlined in the directions. Use the proportion of water found best under A and mix 20 strokes with a two- or three-tined fork. Remove approximately j4 of the dough (about 44 grams). Roll and bake. 2. Mix the remainder of the dough from Bl, a total of 30 strokes. Remove about 44 grams of the dough and bake. PASTRY 581 3. Mix the remainder of the dough from B2, a total of 40 strokes. Remove about 44 grams of the dough and bake.