PASTRY POINTERS.

Dominion, Volume 2, Issue 470, 31 March 1909, Page 3

PASTRY POINTERS.

The chief thiugs to observe in producing good pastry are that all the utensils should be clean, and free from dust; that the flour should be perfectly dry arid of- the best quality possible, and the butter, lard or dripping perfectly fresh. ■ 1 inely-chopped suet is a very economical substitute for butter, but this kind of pastry should always be served hot. When mixing tho paste, add the water gradually, working it together with , a wooden spoon and kneading until quite smooth. A cool hand and a light touch are very essential to insure good pastry, while if possible a marble slab is preferable to a board for rolling out the paste. Nowadays,' too, glass rollers may be purchased, which "are better than the wooden, ones. ' Rich, light pastry must be quickly made and quickly baked. If allowed to stand long before putting in the oven it becomes heavv. To make puff paste, take half a pound of butter and half a,pound of flour and work tho flour into a smooth paste with a quarter of a pint of water, mixing with a knife. Rod out to an inch thickness, break two ounces of butter into small pieces, lay on the paste, sift some flour over, fold the paste, roll out again, using another two ounces of butter with flour as before repeating twice more until butter is all used Flour both rolling pin and board to prevent sticking, and be sure the oven is quite hot before putting the pastry in, a brisk oven being essential. It is wise to put in a small piece of paste to test the heat About twenty or thirty minutes is tho average time, according to. the thickness of tho paste. •An economical pastry is made by rubbing half.a pound of butter lightly into a pound and a quarter of flour. Mix smooth with water, and roll two or three times. If v-jed for fruit tarts, mix. iu two tabiespoonfuls of finely sifted sugar beforo adding tho water.

Or allow six ounces of clarified drippin" to ono pound of flour and mix with half a pint of water, treating as above. Or five ounces of finely-chopped suet mixed with one pound of flour mav be blended into a smooth paste with half a pint of water.