Mrs Beetons Baking Recipes Revisited
Medium Puff Paste
To 450g (1lb) of Flour allow:
285ml (½ pint) Water, or less
225g (8oz) Butter
110g (4oz) Lard
Mix the flour to a smooth pastry with not quite ½ pint of water.
Carefully weigh the flour and butter and have the exact proportion.
Sift the flour.
Make the pastry, using a very clean paste board and rolling pin
If using 450g (1lb) of flour, work into a smooth paste, with not quite 285ml (½ pint) of water, using a knife to mix it.
The amount of water is at the discretion of the cook
If too much is added, the pastry will be tough when baked.
Roll it out until to a thickness of about 2.5cm (1 inch).
Cut 110g (4oz) of butter into small pieces.
Place on the pastry, sift over a little flour, fold it over, roll out.
Repeat adding 110g (4oz) of lard.
Repeat the rolling with the remaining butter until the pastry has been rolled out 3 times, or equal quantities of flour and butter have been used.
Do not omit, every time the pastry is rolled out, to dredge a little flour over that and the rolling pin, to prevent both from sticking.
Handle the pastry as lightly as possible and do not press heavily on it with the rolling pin.
The next thing to be considered is the oven, as the baking of pastry requires particular attention.
Do not put it into the oven until it is sufficiently hot to raise the pastry.
For the best prepared pastry, if not properly baked, will be good for nothing.
Brushing the pastry as often as rolled out and the pieces of butter, with the white of an egg, assists it to rise in leaves or flakes.
As this is the great beauty of puff pastry, it is as well to try this method.
MEDIUM PUFF-PASTE
1206. INGREDIENTS - To every lb. of flour allow 8 oz. of butter, 4 oz. of lard, not quite 1/2 pint of water.
Mode - This paste may be made by the directions in the preceding recipe, only using less butter and substituting lard for a portion of it. Mix the flour to a smooth paste with not quite 1/2 pint of water; then roll it out 3 times, the first time covering the paste with butter, the second with lard, and the third with butter. Keep the rolling-pin and paste slightly dredged with flour, to prevent them from sticking, and it will be ready for use.
Average cost, 1s. per lb.
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