THE ART OF PASTRY MAKING

Evening Post, Volume CXXIX, Issue 147, 22 June 1940, Page 17

THE ART OF PASTRY MAKING

THE SECRET OF SUCCESSFUL RESULTS

Possessing a light, cool hand for pastry making is an asset, but it is not, as some imagine, the secret of success in this branch of cookery. Indeed, the light hand does not go far unless the different methods of pastry making are clearly understood and followed out... Perfect pastry requires the best 15 minutes, then gently press out, shortenings. The lightness depends taking care not to press the butter out. on the amount of air enclosed and the Roll out and again fold in three. Allow expansion of air in the baking. Pastry to stand for another 15 minutes. _ Revaries in degrees of richness, from peat this operation seven times in all. plain pastry containing half the When rolling the paste, always turn amount of fat, as of flour, to rich and three-quarter way round; that is to say, puff pastries containing ' increasing have the rough ends in front of you, amounts. As fats increasfe, so does to keep the paste as even as possible, the method change. ' otherwise the layers will not be uniThe object of pastry making is to form Bake,in a hot oven for five have small particles of fat coated with minutes, then reduce heat gradually flour, and, as steam is the chief leaven- down to moderate, er, a certain amount of moisture is SUET PASTRY. required. It must be remembered (For Boiled p U( jdings, Dumplings.) that too much liquid makes a hard, sift goz flour> teaspoon baking brittle paste. On the other hand, powc i erj p i nc h salt. Add 1 tablespoon with too little liquid, the flour and fat fine white breadcrumbs. Rub in 602 grated "suet (if a less rich paste is needed, use 4oz siiet). Form into firm paste with about $ cup cold water, or, for a richer paste, use milk instead of water.

ROUGH PUFF PASTE. Sift Boz plain flour with a pinch salt. Cut 6oz butter into pieces the size of a walnut, add to flour without breaking. Make a well in middle, add about $ "cup ice cold water gradually and £ teaspoon lenion juice. Form into a stiff paste without breaking up the butter. Roll out into a long sheet, fold in three, press the ends so as to retain any air between folds. Turn pastry and roll again. ' Repeat this process four times, allowing the paste to rest for 15 minutes between each roll. The object of keeping paste cool is to have butter and flour in layers the same as puff pastry. Roll out thinly and use for pies, tartlets, and turnovers. CHEESE PASTRY. Sift 6oz plain flour, salt, and cayenne to taste! Rub in 4oz butter or other shortening, add 6oz grated cheese (dry), 2 egg-yolks mixed with 1 teaspoon lemon juice and about 2 dessertspoons cold water. Form into a stiff j dough, knead a little, then roll out and J use for biscuits, straws, etc. POTATO PASTE. This is a very useful paste, and is especially good for covering left-overs. Sift 6oz plain flour and a good pinch salt. Rub in 3oz butter or margarine, then add 6oz very fine ma#hed or riced potato. Form into a paste with 1 beaten egg. Roll out carefully or form round prepared filling. Brush over with egg, bake in hot oven, or dip in fine breadcrumbs and fry in boiling fat or oil until a golden brown. Drain well and serve at once, as they soon lose their crispness. CORNFLOUR PASTRY SUITABLE FOR FLANS. Sift 3oz cornflour, 4oz plain flour, h flat teaspoon baking powder, pinch salt, 2oz castor sugar. Rub in 4oz| shortening with fingertips and form| into a dough with 1 teaspoon -lemon juice, 1 egg-yolk, and about 1 tablespoon or just a little more ice cold, water. Use same method as short! pastry.

do not stick together, the pastry is crumbly and not light when baked. PUFF PASTRY. Sift Boz plain flour with a good pinch salt. Rub in loz butter or margarine. Wash well 7oz butter in ice cold water, then gently squeeze out all the water and form into a neat,- square pat. Add 1 teaspoon lemon juice to -4 cup ice cold water; make a bay in the centre of the flour, add water gradually, and make the paste the same consistency as the butter. Knead well until smooth and elastic. Roll out on a lightly-floured board until paste is three times the size of butter. Place the butter in the middle of paste, fold the halves over, covering the butter completely. Press ends with rolling-pin to keep the air inside. Allow paste to.stand in a cold place for