Some cooks think that the shortest route from the flour barrel to the bake oven is the best for pastry, and others prefer to set the paste aside in a cold place and bake next day. Skillful cooks obtain good results either way. From first to last the paste should be kept as cold as possible. If not ready to bake at once when made up, keep the i^aste in the ice-chest until wanted. We knew of one lady who had a long, slim glass bottle which she filled with ice*water and used for a roll- ing-pin. Pastry should be rolled lightly, the rolling-pin often lifted and but little pressed upon, so as not to force out the air. The point to aim at in making pufp paste is to have as many al- ternate layers of butter and dough as possible, and to have each layer so light and thin that in baking it will rise separately. The paste will be difficult to manage, and a failure, probably, if it is either too dry and stiff or soft and stick5^ If the flour used is the least damp, the paste made from it may be heavy. The less flour used in rolling the paste the better, as if an excess of flour is used the flakes will be pale, thick and tough, if not absolutely flat and heavy, and the bak- ing will be much slower. Using coarse and heavy flour may produce a similar result, and so may slow and heavy handling, a warm or ir- regular temperature when working, or faulty baking. The Butter. — If the butter is not right, rapid handling, partial freezing, an extra sprinkle of flour and a little cream of tartar may keep the flakes separated until the oven is reached and the baking 298 PASTRY begins; it will bake sharp and crisp with a quick heat, but the butter will fry out and cover the flakes of paste and they will be found greasy to the touch when removed from the oven. • Do not suppose that if the butter and paste are not in the best condition possible the amount of the butter can be reduced in the finishing process of rolling together; there will be fewer layers of paste, the quality inferior and the quantity less. For some dishes a rich crust is neither so digestible nor so suitable as a substantial light one, and a light, quick, cool hand will influence the lightness of the pastry as well as the quantity of the butter used Baking Tins. — For baking, tin plates should always be used, as the under crust will be apt to not bake well in anything earthen; the crust will readily separate from the pan when done. It should then be taken off the plate at once, or the under crust may get " soggy." Grease pie4ins well before laying on the crust; for some kinds of toastry they are wet with water instead of being greased.

AI-modernized reading of the original text

Some cooks think that the shortest route from the flour barrel to the bake oven is the best for pastry, and others prefer to set the paste aside in a cold place and bake next day. Skillful cooks obtain good results either way. From first to last the paste should be kept as cold as possible. If not ready to bake at once when made up, keep the paste in the ice-chest until wanted. We knew of one lady who had a long, slim glass bottle which she filled with ice water and used for a rolling pin. Pastry should be rolled lightly, the rolling-pin often lifted and but little pressed upon, so as not to force out the air. The point to aim at in making pufp paste is to have as many alternate layers of butter and dough as possible, and to have each layer so light and thin that in baking it will rise separately. The paste will be difficult to manage, and a failure, probably, if it is either too dry and stiff or soft and sticky. If the flour used is the least damp, the paste made from it may be heavy. The less flour used in rolling the paste the better, as if an excess of flour is used the flakes will be pale, thick and tough, if not absolutely flat and heavy, and the baking will be much slower. Using coarse and heavy flour may produce a similar result, and so may slow and heavy handling, a warm or irregular temperature when working, or faulty baking. The Butter. — If the butter is not right, rapid handling, partial freezing, an extra sprinkle of flour and a little cream of tartar may keep the flakes separated until the oven is reached and the baking begins; it will bake sharp and crisp with a quick heat, but the butter will fry out and cover the flakes of paste and they will be found greasy to the touch when removed from the oven. • Do not suppose that if the butter and paste are not in the best condition possible the amount of the butter can be reduced in the finishing process of rolling together; there will be fewer layers of paste, the quality inferior and the quantity less. For some dishes a rich crust is neither so digestible nor so suitable as a substantial light one, and a light, quick, cool hand will influence the lightness of the pastry as well as the quantity of the butter used Baking Tins. — For baking, tin plates should always be used, as the under crust will be apt to not bake well in anything earthen; the crust will readily separate from the pan when done. It should then be taken off the plate at once, or the under crust may get " soggy." Grease pie-tins well before laying on the crust; for some kinds of toastry they are wet with water instead of being greased.

The household cook book