In making puff paste the flour, water, and salt may
be mixed to a dough, and then the butter be rolled with
it. Made in this way the flakes are larger and more
distinct; but the pastry is not quite so tender as it
would be if a small part of the butter were mixed with
the salt and flour before the water was added.
PIES. 586
If the paste cart be chilled three times while it is being
made, it will be lighter, and the flakes will be larger.
The colder and smoother the board on which the paste
is made, the better the paste will be. A smooth wooden
board answers all purposes, but, if convenient, a marble
or a slate slab is preferable because colder. Marble is
expensive and heavy, but a slate slab is light and inex-
pensive ; one measuring 18 x 20 inches, costing about
$1.50, may be used.
In summer there must be ice and a refrigerator; in
winter snow may be substituted for the ice, and the
chilling may be done in a cold room or out of doors.
Here is a method of making puff paste which is slow,
but the beginner may be almost sure of success ; and when
one has become expert in handling the paste, there need
be no intervals between the several times of rolling it.
For a large vol-au-vent, or twelve small patties, or
four medium-sized pies, use one quart of sifted flour,
two cupfuls of butter, packed solid, one table-spoonfui
of sugar, one level table-spoonful of salt, and about a
cupful and a quarter of ice-water✪ Puff Paste.
Work the butter in a pan of cold water until it is
light and waxy ; then pat it between the hands to remove
all the water. Divide it into four thin cakes ; spread
them on a towel, and lay them on the ice in the refrig-
erator.
Put the flour, salt, and sugar into a bowl. On a firm
table put the pastry-board, rolling-pin, a case-knife, a
plate with a little flour for dredging, a soft towel, a
dripping-pan, and two shallow cake-pans. The three
pans must be water-tight. Put about four pounds of ice
into the canvas bag, and pound it until it is almost as
fine as snow; half fill one of the cake-pans with this,
and put the remainder into the dripping-pan. Set the
cake-pan filled with ice into the empty pan ; place these
in the dripping-pan, and put them in the refrigerator or
in a cold room. This is for chilling the paste quickly.
586 MISS PARLOA'S KITCHEN COMPANION.
Now break one of the cakes of butter and rub it
quickly into the flour, always keeping plenty of flour
between the hands and the bits of butter. Add the ice-
water, a little at a time, stirring with the knife.
When a smooth ball of paste is formed, sprinkle the
board lightly with flour, and turn the paste on it. Beat
it lightly with the rolling-pin, lifting it and tossing it
back on to the board, after two or three strokes of the
pin ; then roll the paste down until about half an inch
thick, keeping it as near the shape of a square as
possible.
Page 306 · 1 recipe record on this page
Presented as published in 1887. Historical recipes may not meet modern food-safety standards. Cook from the modern interpretation, not the original instructions.
AI-modernized reading of the original text
In making puff paste the flour, water, and salt may be mixed to a dough, and then the butter be rolled with it. Made in this way the flakes are larger and more distinct; but the pastry is not quite so tender as it would be if a small part of the butter were mixed with the salt and flour before the water was added.
If the paste can be chilled three times while it is being made, it will be lighter, and the flakes will be larger. The colder and smoother the board on which the paste is made, the better the paste will be. A smooth wooden board answers all purposes, but, if convenient, a marble or a slate slab is preferable because colder. Marble is expensive and heavy, but a slate slab is light and inexpensive ; one measuring 18 x 20 inches, costing about $1.50, may be used.
In summer there must be ice and a refrigerator; in winter snow may be substituted for the ice, and the chilling may be done in a cold room or out of doors.
Here is a method of making puff paste which is slow, but the beginner may be almost sure of success ; and when one has become expert in handling the paste, there need be no intervals between the several times of rolling it.
For a large vol-au-vent, or twelve small patties, or four medium-sized pies, use one quart of sifted flour, two cupfuls of butter, packed solid, one table-spoonfui of sugar, one level table-spoonful of salt, and about a cupful and a quarter of ice-water.
Work the butter in a pan of cold water until it is light and waxy ; then pat it between the hands to remove all the water. Divide it into four thin cakes ; spread them on a towel, and lay them on the ice in the refrigerator.
Put the flour, salt, and sugar into a bowl. On a firm table put the pastry-board, rolling-pin, a case-knife, a plate with a little flour for dredging, a soft towel, a dripping-pan, and two shallow cake-pans. The three pans must be water-tight. Put about four pounds of ice into the canvas bag, and pound it until it is almost as fine as snow; half fill one of the cake-pans with this, and put the remainder into the dripping-pan. Set the cake-pan filled with ice into the empty pan ; place these in the dripping-pan, and put them in the refrigerator or in a cold room. This is for chilling the paste quickly.
Now break one of the cakes of butter and rub it quickly into the flour, always keeping plenty of flour between the hands and the bits of butter. Add the icewater, a little at a time, stirring with the knife.
When a smooth ball of paste is formed, sprinkle the board lightly with flour, and turn the paste on it. Beat it lightly with the rolling-pin, lifting it and tossing it back on to the board, after two or three strokes of the pin ; then roll the paste down until about half an inch thick, keeping it as near the shape of a square as possible.
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Puff Paste