FoodNetArchive

Scientific cooking with scientific methods

1911

Page 97 · 3 recipe records on this page

Presented as published in 1911. Historical recipes may not meet modern food-safety standards. Cook from the modern interpretation, not the original instructions.
Puff' paste requires great care in the baking. The oven must be hot, and the paste placed on a tin sheet covered with brown paper, and put in oven where it will get the most heat on the bottom to make it rise. When it has risen to its full height, add more fire and brown on top, being careful not to burn the bottom. It must have a hot oven if you want it to puff. In a hot oven it puff's and is flaky; in too cold an oven it spreads and is greasy. The temperature for baking patty shell wants to be about same as for baking- powder biscuits. Yol-au-vents require hot oven at first, then reduce to keep top from burning. The gas stove is the thing for this kind of cooking, for the reason that we can control the heat perfectly. Patty Shells. Roll paste to one-fourth inch thick, and shape with patty cutter, first dipping it in flour. Then with a small cutter remove a round from center of one-half the round. Brush the whole round with ice-water round the edges, and press the piece with the center removed on top. Press lightly. Place on a towel and chill between pans of crushed ice, until paste is very cold and stiff. Cover tin or iron sheet with brown paper, and place the patty shell on and bake in hot oven for twentj^-five minutes. They should rise to their full height and begin to brown in fifteen minutes. The small rounds cut from centers of the ring can be baked 212 SCIENTIFIC COOKING. and vised for patty cover. Should there be any soft dough in center of shells, lift it out carefully with pointed knife. Vol-au-vents. Roll puff paste to one-third of an inch thick, Mark an oval on the paste with cutter or mould for the pur- pose. Cut out with a sharp knife first dipped in flour. Brush near the edge with cold water, and put on a rim three-fourths of an inch wide. Press lightly, chill and bake in hot oven. The piece cut from center of the top should be rolled to one-fourth inch, shaped, baked and used for cover for vol-au-vent. To bake, place on sheet with paper beneath, and bake for three- quarters of an hour. The cover will be done first, and must be removed as soon as it is a good brown. Flaky Paste. 2 cups flour. 14 cup each lard and 1^ teaspoon salt. butter. Ice-water. Wash butter in napkin. Pat all water and butter- milk out by patting between the hands. Add salt to flour, and chop in lard with knife or one-bladed hash chopper. "When it is chopped enough it will look like coarse cornmeal, then add water little at a time so as not to get it too soft. Toss on floured board, pat and roll to oblong shape, and fold in butter same as for puff paste. Fold to make the three layers turn half round, pat and roll, repeat for three or four times, and it is ready for use. Plain Paste. 2 cups flour. 74 cup lard. 1/. teaspoon saltPlain Paste. Cold water. PASTRY. 213