FOR THE PASTRYCOOK.

Hawera Star, Volume XLVIII, 21 February 1925, Page 14

FOR THE PASTRYCOOK.

SELECTED RECIPES. No branch of the cookery art requires such ability or confers more distinction on the cook than the power to make good pastry. If a cook lias the reputation of turning out light, flaky, and well-cooked crust, she or he has attained a distinction shared by very few, for good pastry-making is an art few are born with, and fewer still acquire. Lightness —that desirable quality—depends more on the amount of air die cook is able to work into her mixture than the individual touch or “hand" of the maker. The more air m the mixture, the lighter the crust will be, and the object of air the repeated fo I lings and foldings to which puff naste is subjected is just to increase this air supply, while in short crust die expansion is aided by using bakingpowder or self-raising flour. The difference between puff and flaky pastry and short crust is that in the former there are thin layers of air and pastry alternating, and in the latter the air fills small cavities all over the paste. Puff pastry is set aside at intervals during the making in order that the butter may harden, and thus keep the layers of paste and butter separate. Short paste in which baking powder or self-raising flour has been used should be nut into the oven as speedily ns possible, otherwise some of tiie action of the vising is wasted, for its action begins immediately the paste is moistened.

All kinds of pastry should be baked in a moderately hot oven, for a high temperature is necessary to expand the air or gas in the mixture and thus make pastry light, also the heat is required to burst the grains of the Hour, merely enabling these to absorb the fat is it molts. Unless the beat is strong enough to act upon the flour, ill this way tile melted fat runs out, and leaves the pastry less rich and probably tough and heavy. An oven with a good bottom heat is desirable for baking tiirts. When the heat comes from above it is advisable to bake or partially bake the tarts before filling them.

Puff Paslry.—One and three-quarter level breakfast-cupfuls of flour, 1 bregk-fast-cupful butter, packed solid, saltspoonful of salt, i tenspoouful lemon juice, cold wafer. The but ler should lie very linn, bur not bard, press all moisture out of it and form it into a flat squal-e or brick shape. Sift flour and salt into basin, make a, hole in middle, pul. in lemon juice and add cold water gradually, mixing in the ■Jour until a nice soil but not sticky dough is made. Turn dough on to pastry board and knead it until very .smooth and even in texture, and hlist■rs begin to appear on the surface. As iilllc dry Hour as possible should Inuse'rl in Llii.s process, only enough to keep dough from slicking io the hoard. Roll oul the dough until it is about three times as long and a Jittle wider then the butter, keeping the edges very even. .Lay butter in the middle, fold dough over it, cover with damp cloth and leave for five minutes. Remove cloth, turn pastry round, roll out until three times as long as broad, fold in three, cover with damp cloth and, leave for five minutes, or longer. Repeat this six times turning the pastry each time so that the folded edges are to the left and right of the worker. Keep the pastry and pastry board just dry with flour during the process using as little Hour as possible. A slab of marble or thick glass makes the best pastry board. When the pastry has been rolled and folded six times leave halfhour in a cold place covered with a damp cloth. Then roll out and cut as required. Never roll the pastry backwards. Start always at the end nearest to you and roll away from you. Keep edges as even as possible with every rolling. This must be firmly but lightly done. H done too heavily the blitter will be forced through the film of dough which covers .it, and it will stick. It should be baked in a hot oven, and until the pastry lias risen and become partially baked the oven door should not be opened, because a current may cause the flakes to collapse on one side.

Half Ruff or Rough Puff Paste. —To 111), flour allow -Jib. butter, or equal quantities of butter and lard, one teaspoonful lemon-juice, salt, and water as required. Sift the ‘flour on to a pastry-board, divide the butter or butter and lard into pieces as big as a small walnut, and mix lightly with the flour: make a hole in the centre of the flour, put in a teaspoonful of lem-on-juice, half -a teaspoonful of salt and one table-spoonful of water. -Mix lightly, keeping the pieces of butter intact. Add water gradually until a moderately stiff paste is formed. Roll into a long strip, fold it equally into three; turn it round so as to have the folded edges to the right and left, and roll out as before. Repeat until the paste -has been rolled four times, then use. If convenient, it is better to let it remain one hour in a cool place before being used.

Short Crust.—lib. of flour, 4oz. butter, 4oz. larcl, yolks of two eggs, two teaspoonfuls of baking-powder, or use self-raising flour, two good pinches of salt, water. Rub butter and lard lightly into the flour, add bakingpowder, salt, and beaten egg yolks, and as much water required to make a stiff crust. Roll out on floured hoard to require thickness, and use at once. Plain Short Crust. —11b. self-raising flour, or if plain is used, two teaspoonfvi 1 s baking-powder, 6oz, lard*or clear beef dripping, half teaspoonful salt; pass the flour, salt, and baking-powder (if used) through a sieve, into a large basin. ..Rub .in the fat with the finger lips, add water, about half a pint, and work into a smooth paste with a knife. Roll out to desired shape and thickness, and use at once. V hen required for fruit tarts, two table-spoonfuls of sugar can be added to the* dry ingredients.

Suet Crust, (rich).—Jib. (lour, floz. breadcrumbs (12 good table-spoonfuls), fib. suet, two heaped teaspoonfuls baking powder, lour and a half tonspoonfills salt, a gocwf half-cup of water ; free suet from skin, and chop., finely, mix well with flour, breadcrumbs,, salt, and baking-powder. Add water io form a soft paste that may .be rolled easily. This makes an exceedingly light and easily digested pudding crust, but in consequence of its extreme lightness is liable 1o break if Ihe pudding is turned out of I lie basin.

Excellent Dripping C'riisl. - Tib. selfraising flour, :,'ll> dripping (clean heel), and water. \Yith a knife mix the flour Lo a smooth paste, with the water, which should lie added gradually. Roll out thinly, and put into three. Divide the dripping into one-third in small pieces all over the surface Repeat this process twice, rising one-third of the dripping each time. Fuse immediately.