Puff-Paste

Ingredients

• the butter
• a pound of flour
• a level teaspoonful of salt

Method

1. 1

   Fold the paste up and over the butter, then roll it out gently until the butter is incorporated.

2. 2

   Roll to a thickness of about one-quarter of an inch.

3. 3

   Fold the paste in three thicknesses lengthwise, then again to make a square.

4. 4

   Set in a pan of ice for five minutes.

5. 5

   Repeat the folding process six times, always keeping the paste cool.

6. 6

   Roll out to one-quarter of an inch thick for pies or patties, and brush with beaten egg before baking.

As published

This recipe was extracted from Miss Corson's practical American cookery and household management (1885) by Juliet Corson, page 250. The excerpt below is the record exactly as published.

Puff-Paste roiled out. can be gathered unbroken in the paste assist its rising ; now turn the sheet of paste gently about on the slab, so that every part may be rolled to the same thickness of about one- 470 PRACTICAL AMERICAN COOKERY. quarter of an inch ; in turning the paste Hft its outer edge, and gently lap it over the roller toward you, being sure not to tear it ; roll it gently inward, keeping it around the roller, and lifting it clear from the board when you wish to turn it, or change its position in any way ; when you wish to replace it upon the slab, gently unwind it from the roller, letting the face or part next the roller fall upon the slab. Fourth, the Pug-Paste after a "tarn.' paste is now ready for forming the flakes ; to do this, turn the face down, fold it in three thicknesses lengthwise, making it three times as long as it is wide, as shown in the third cut ; and then folding it again three times to make the square shown in the fourth cut ; lay it in a long pan floured, set this in a larger pan of ice, and place upon it a third pan filled with ice, so that the paste will be completely surrounded with ice ; let the pan stand for five minutes in the ice-box, or in the SECOND-COURSE SWEETS. 471 coolest place you can command, always bearing in mind that the cooler the paste is kept, the better it will be. Re- peat the folding process described in the "fourth" part, six times in succession, every time setting the paste in ice for five minutes, every time turning the face of the paste with the folds down to the slab, and every time folding in an opposite direction, or the butter will lie at one side, and the paste will rise unevenly in baking. Fifth, to finish : After the sixth time of folding, roll the paste out to the thickness of one-quarter of an inch, and cut out in shape with a knife for pies, or for patties with a sharp tin cutter of the size re- quired, marking in the centre of each patty a circle an inch in diameter with a small pastry-cutter. For small tarts or patties have the paste one-quarter of an inch thick ; for large ones, or vol-au-vents, have it about one-third thicker ; for patties, use two layers of paste, put one over the other after cutting out, and wet the under layer with a soft brush dipped in cold water ; brush the top of the second layer with an egg beaten up ; this is called doree, or gilding, and the process gives the pastry a beautiful golden blaze. In forming vol- au-vents or large pastries, use three or even four thicknesses of the paste, putting them together as for patties, brushing the under layers with cold water, and gilding the top. Sixth, and lastly, wet the baking-pan with water, instead of greas- ing it, lay the paste upon it, set it for five minutes upon the ice in order that the layers may adhere, and put in a mod- erate oven five minutes so that all the air-cells will have a chance to expand ; then finish at a heat of about 300 degrees Fahrenheit, and be sure that the patties are done before taking them from the oven, or they will fall. PATi nOFFICE. ' Pate d^ office, or office-paste, which is mentioned in the recipe for St. Honord cake, is made by sifting a pound of 472 PRACTICAL AMERICAN COOKERY. flour upon the pastry-board, and making a hollow in the middle of the flour as shown in the illustrations of puff-paste ; into the centre put half a pound of powdered sugar, two whole eggs and the yolks of two more, and a level teaspoon- ful of salt ; mix these ingredients to a smooth paste with the tips of the fingers, and then knead the paste thoroughly as directed in the recipe for puff-paste, until it is smooth and firm; if the paste is too dry to knead well, add one or more egg-yolks, to produce the proper consistency, and then roll it out and use it. Office^paste is used for making foundations and ornaments for various custards, baked egg- puddings, and creamy pies ; it is palatable, and more digest- ible than pastry made with butter or shortening. FRUIT PATTIES. After puff-paste is made, cut patty-cases from it with the round pastry-cutterS, a picture of which is given ; the cut- ters are either fluted, as shown in the case, or plain circles, like the one in the engraving below. The cut of the first stage of patties shows the round for a patty, and the pastry from which it is cut; that of the second stage shows the plain cutter, one round of pastry with some mince-meat laid on it, a second round laid over the mince-meat, and then the two pressed together by the use of a small cutter, the under edges of the top round being wet to retain it in place while the patty is being baked ; the top of the patty is gilded with beaten egg before it is baked. Open patties are- made like the cases fof oyster patties, and after they are cold they are filled with any good preserved fruit, and dished on a napkin, as shown in the last engraving which accompanies this recipe. CREAM CRUST. Add half a level teaspoonful of salt to half a pint of cream, and then stir in enough sifted flour to make a pastry suffi- SECOND-COURSE SWEETS. 473 Fluted and Plain Patty-Cutters in Case. E ?<kj> 'h- Sill ifi finr^^i-*^ "N r 3'- ^r- --' ~ -" ■JLJLift J Patties, First Stage. s>u • Lite*- - _ _ . s'"^ -_: , ^ »'.r Patties, Second Stage. DM of Fruit Pttttiaa. 474 PRACTICAL AMERICAN COOKERY. ciently stiff to roll out ; handle this pastry as little as possi- ble, and use it as soon as it is made. Sour cream may be used, a teaspoonful of saleratus being dissolved in each pint before it is mixed with the flour. LARD PIE-CBUST. Chop together in a bowl one pound of flour

Cook this with the app: pantry check, scaling, and the assistant.