Household cookery

I oz. chocolate. 4 table-spoonfuls water. \ lb. icing sugar (sifted). Method, — Put chocolate and water in a pan over fire, cook till smooth, then mix in icing sugar, add a little more water if necessary. Warm up and use for above. Hints on making Pastry Pastry should be made in as cool a place as possible. The rolling-pin and also the hands must be kept cold. Use half proportion of fat or shortening to weight of flour; if this is done no baking-powder is necessary. If a less proportion of fat is used a little baking-powder is added ; this gives Hghtness and shortness to the pastry. Handle and roll the pastry very lightly. The colder it is kept during the making the lighter it will be, as the pastry will contain more air, and the greater will be the expansion when cooked. In making short pastry the fat must be lightly rubbed into the flour, and only sufficient water used to make it hold together. Always mix pastry with a knife. Flaky or rough puff pastry differs in the making, the fat being rolled instead of rubbed in. Care must be taken in the rolling and folding, as the evenness of the flakes depend upon this. A very hot oven is necessary for the baking of pastry. To ascertain the heat of the oven put in a small piece of bread. If it browns quickly the oven is ready. Short Pastry 4 lb. flour. 4 oz. lard or butter. I tea-spoonful salt. Cold water to mix. Method, — Sieve flour and salt into a bowl, rub in lard or butter lightly with the tips of the fingers till it has the appearance of fine bread-crumbs. Mix to a stiff paste with cold water and a knife (it should be as dry as possible, and only just stick together). Flour a board and roll out once. If less quantity of fat is used, add i tea-spoonful of baking-powder to each pound of flour. Suet Pastry \ lb. flour. \ tea-spoonful baking-powder. \ lb. beef suet. | tea-spoonful salt. Cold water to mix. Method, — Mix flour, salt, and baking-powder in a bowl. Shred and chop suet finely, add to flour and baking-powder. Mix to a stiff paste with cold water and a knife. This pastry is used for beef-steak and fruit puddings, and may be steamed or boiled. Flaky Pastry \ lb. flour. 4 oz. lard or butter. Juice of \ lemon. \ tea-spoonful salt. Cold water to mix. Method, — Mix flour and salt in a bowl, put in fat, break into pieces about size of a small nut. Mix to a stiff paste with water and lemon-juice. Flour the board, roll pastry out, fold in three, turn rough edges towards you, roll out again. Continue this five or six times. Sprinkle lemon-juice over the last two rollings. Rough Puff Pastry \ lb. flour. Juice of \ lemon. 6 oz. butter or lard. Cold water to mix. \ tea-spoonful salt. Method, — Sieve flour and salt into a bowl, rub in i oz. fat, add lemon-juice and cold water. Mix to a stiff paste with a knife. Roll out, put remainder of fat on one half, wet edges, fold over ; roll out, fold in three, turn rough edges towards you, roll out again. Folding and rolling in all seven times. E Puff Pastry \ lb. flour. \ lb. butter. Juice of \ lemon. About \ pint water.