Mrs Beetons Baking Recipes Revisited
Very Good Puff Paste
To 450g (1lb) of Flour allow:
450g (1lb) Butter
285ml (˝ pint) Water, or less
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 (˝ pint) of water, using a knife to mix it.
The amount of water is at the discretion of the cook
If too much be 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 another 110g (4oz) of butter.
Repeat the rolling and buttering until the pastry has been rolled out 4 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.
VERY GOOD PUFF-PASTE
1205. INGREDIENTS - To every lb. of flour allow 1 lb. of butter, and not quite 1/2 pint of water.
Mode - Carefully weigh the flour and butter, and have the exact proportion; squeeze the butter well, to extract the water from it, and afterwards wring it in a clean cloth, that no moisture may remain. Sift the flour; see that it is perfectly dry, and proceed in the following manner to make the paste, using a very clean paste-board and rolling-pin:—Supposing the quantity to be 1 lb. of flour, work the whole into a smooth paste, with not quite 1/2 pint of water, using a knife to mix it with: the proportion of this latter ingredient must be regulated by the discretion of the cook; if too much be added, the paste, when baked, will be tough. Roll it out until it is of an equal thickness of about an inch; break 4 oz. of the butter into small pieces; place these on the paste, sift over it a little flour, fold it over, roll out again, and put another 4 oz. of butter. Repeat the rolling and buttering until the paste has been rolled out 4 times, or equal quantities of flour and butter have been used. Do not omit, every time the paste is rolled out, to dredge a little flour over that and the rolling-pin, to prevent both from sticking. Handle the paste as lightly as possible, and do not press heavily upon 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 paste; for the best-prepared paste, if not properly baked, will be good for nothing. Brushing the paste as often as rolled out, and the pieces of butter placed thereon, with the white of an egg, assists it to rise in leaves or flakes. As this is the great beauty of puff-paste, it is as well to try this method.
Average cost, 1s. 4d. per lb.
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