To make good puff paste one must have all the ingredients cold. Use a marble slab if possible and avoid making the paste on a warm, damp day. It should be made in a cool place as it is necessary to keep the paste cold during the whole time of preparation. This recipe makes two pies or four crusts, and requires one-half pound of butter and one-half teaspoon of salt, one-half pound of flour and one-fourth to one-half cup of ice-water. Cut off one-third of the butter and put the remaining two-thirds in a bowl of ice-water. Divide this into four equal parts; pat each into a thin sheet and set them away on ice. Mix and sift flour and salt; rub the reserved butter into it and make as stiff as possible with ice-water. Dust the slab with flour; turn the paste upon it; knead for one minute, then stand it on ice for five minutes. Roll the cold paste into a square sheet about one-third of an inch thick; place the cold batter in the centre and fold the paste over it, first from the sides and then the ends, keeping the shape square and folding so that the butter is completely covered and cannot escape through any cracks as it is rolled. Roll out to one-fourth inch thickness, keeping the square shape and folding as before, but without butter. Continue rolling and folding, enclosing a sheet of butter at every alternate folding until all four sheets are used. Then turn the folded side down and roll in one direction into a long narrow strip, keeping the edges as straight as possible. Fold the paste over, making three even layers. Then roll again and fold as before. Repeat the process until the dough has had six turns. Cut into the desired shapes and place on the ice for twenty minutes or longer before putting in the oven. If during the making the paste sticks to the board or pin, remove it immediately and stand it on the ice until thoroughly chilled. Scrape the board clean; rub with a dry cloth and dust with fresh flour before trying again. Use as little flour as possible in rolling, but use enough to keep the paste dry. Roll with a light, even, long stroke in every direction, but never work the rolling-pin back and forth as that movement toughens the paste and breaks the bubbles of air. The baking of puff paste is almost as important as the rolling, and the oven must be very hot, with the greatest heat at the bottom, so that the paste will rise before it browns. If the paste should begin to scorch, open the drafts at once and cool the temperature by placing a pan of ice-water in the oven.
Stir one cup of boiling water gradually onto two tablespoons of cocoa, two tablespoons of sugar and one teaspoon of cornstarch, a few grains of salt (that have been well mixed) in a saucepan; let boil five minutes, stirring constantly. Heat three cups of milk in a double boiler, add the cocoa mixture and one-half teaspoon of vanilla; beat with egg-beater until foamy and serve hot in chocolate cups, with a tablespoon of whipped cream on top of each cup, or take the cheaper marshmallows, place two in each cup and fill cups two-thirds full of hot cocoa.
is another delicacy well suited to a special occasion. Prepare and cook celery as for souffle, drain and rub through sieve. Have enamelled or earthenware saucepan on the table, rub the bottom with a little butter, and break in 2 large eggs or 3 small ones. Season with white pepper, celery salt, lemon juice, mace, &c., and beat slightly. Take 1/2 gill cream and same of milk, drained from the celery, and add to eggs, &c. Place over a slow fire, or better still, a gas stove turned low, and stir till the mixture thickens, but it must not boil, then add the celery and mix. Have one large timbale mould or 8 to 10 small ones well buttered, fill in with the cream, cover with buttered paper, and steam very gently till set--30 minutes if large mould--10 minutes if small ones. If a large one turn out and fill in centre with tomatoes, mushrooms, &c. If small ones arrange round ashet with baked tomatoes, spinach, green peas, &c., in the centre of the dish.
Hard boil four eggs; cut into several pieces. Then prepare the following:
Boil down to a syrup one heaping tablespoon of sugar, rind of one-quarter of lemon, one scant cup of water, and a little piece of cinnamon. Then remove the lemon-rind and the cinnamon, and add one cup of milk or cream. When heated through, take off of fire, and add the yolks of four eggs, beating well together. Then pour the sauce over the hard-boiled eggs in a shallow baking-dish, put it in a very moderate oven, and bake. Before serving squeeze on a little lemon juice and garnish with squares of fried bread.
Mix one pound currants, one drachm nutmeg, mace and cinnamon each, a little salt, one pound of citron, orange peal candied, and almonds bleach'd, 6 pound of flour, (well dry'd) beat 21 eggs, and add with 1 quart new ale yeast, half pint of wine, 3 half pints of cream and raisins, q: s:
Take halfe a pound of fine flower, dryed and searced, as much fine sugar searced, mingled with a spoonfull of Coriander-seed bruised, halfe a quarter of a pound of butter rubbed in the flower and sugar, then wet it with the yolks of two Eggs, and halfe a spoonfull of white Rose-water, a spoonfull or little more of Cream as will wet it; knead the Past till it be soft and limber to rowle well, then rowle it extreame thin, and cut them round by little plates; lay them up on buttered papers, and when they goe into the Oven, prick them, and wash the Top with the yolk of an Egg beaten, and made thin with Rose-water or faire water; they will give with keeping, therefore before they are eaten, they must be dryed in a warme Oven to make them crisp.
Scald 1/2 lb. German lentils for a minute in boiling water, drain and put on with quantity of boiling water required. Fry some onions, celery, and tomatoes--if to be had--in a little butter till brown, and add. Simmer about 2 hours, and rub through a sieve. Add a little ground rice, cornflour, &c., to keep the pulp from settling to the bottom. A little milk or cream or ketchup may be added if liked.
Take a peck of fine flower, and three pound of the best Butter, work your flower and butter very well together, then take ten Eggs, leave out six whites, a pint and a halfe of Ale-yeast: beat the Eggs and yeast together, and put them to the flower; take six pound of blanched Almonds, beat them very well, putting in sometime Rosewater to keepe them from Oyling; adde what spice you please; let this be put to the rest, with a quarter of a pint of Sack, and a little saffron; and when you have made all this into Past, cover it warme before the fire, and let it rise for halfe an hour, then put in twelve pound of Currans well washed and dryed, two pound of Raisins of the Sun stoned and cut small, one pound of Sugar; the sooner you put it into the Oven after the fruit is put in, the better.
Mince the cabbage and put it in a pan with plenty of refined fat (clarified fat) and two or three large potatoes, pepper and salt. Add sufficient water to cover it, with a dash of vinegar and six dessert- spoonfuls of brown or moist sugar. Let it simmer for four hours, drain it and serve cold. [Mme. Segers.]
Take a pint and somewhat more of thick Creame, ten Egges, put the whites of three, beat them very well with two spoonfuls of Rose-water; mingle with your Creame three spoonfuls of fine flower, mingle it so well, that there be no lumps in it, put it altogether, and season it according to your Tast; Butter a Cloth very well, and let it be thick that it may not run out, and let it boyle for half an hour as fast as you can, then take it up and make Sauce with Butter, Rose-water and Sugar, and serve it up. You may stick some blanched Almonds upon it if you please.
