The Milan exchange. (Milan, Gibson County, Tenn.) 1874-1978, 1876-07-20
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HINTS ON PASTRY MAKING.-The fol-
lowing hints on pastry making, by an
old housekeeper, from the Pacific Raral
Press, are worthy of study. The
Americans are too much addicted to
pastry, but since the taste is already
formed, it remains only, in the prepare
ton of such food, to make it as little
injurious as possible by making it good.
Before making paste, wash the hands
in hot water; touch the paste as little
as possible, and roll it but little; the
less the better. If the paste be much
wetted it viii be tough.
A marble slab is better than a board
to make paste on; both, together with
the rolling-pin, cutters, and tins, should
be kept very clean, as the least dust or
hard paste left on either will spoil the
whole.
The coolest part of the house and of
the day should be chosen for the process
during warm weather.
Flour for the finest paste should be
dried and sifted, as should pounded
white sugar.
Butter should be added to paste in
very small pieces, unless otherwise
directed. If fresh butter be not used,
break salt butter into pieces, wash 1t
well in spring water to cleanse it from
salt, squeeze it carefully, and dry it
upon a soft cloth. Fresh butter should
also be well worked to get out the but
| termilk. Ht tf--ii'5r A i
After the butter has been pressed and
worked with wooden knife on the
pasteboard, press it very lightly with a
clean solft cloth, to absorb the moist
dre. If good fresh butter is used it
will require very little, if any working.
Lard is sometimes used instead of
butter, but the saving is of very tri-
| fling importance when it is considered
thai, although lard will make paste
! light, it viii neither be OF so good color
or flavor as when made with butter.
Dripping, especially from the beef when
very sweet and clean, is often used for
kitchen pies, and is, in this instance, a
good substitute for butter, lard, etc.
In hot weather the butter should be
broken into pieces and put into spring
water, OF into ice; but on no account
put the paste into ice, else the butter
in it will harden it, and in baking melt
and separate from the paste. The same
thing happens in winter, when the but
ter has not been sufficiently worked and
the paste is rather soft; for, though
the season be favorable to the maker of
paste, care must be taken to work the
butter sufficiently. 5frr.-. ,a-....
| In winter paste should be made very
firm, because the butter is then so. In
summer the paste should be made soft
as the butter is then the same.
It is important to work up paste
lightly and gradually into uniform
body, no strength or pressure being
used. .g U.....- .,........ .,...
It is necessary to lightly flour both
sides of paste when you roll it in order
to prevent its turning gray in baking
but if much flour be sprinkled on it
the.paste will not be clear. Attention
to the rolling out is most important to
make light puff-paste. If it be too
light it may be rolled out once or twice
more than directed, as the folding
mainly causes it to rise high and even.
Be sure, invariably, to roll putf-paste
from you. Those who are not prac-
ticed in making puff-paste should work
the butter in by breaking it into small
pieces, and covering the paste rolled
out; dredge it lightly with flour, fold
over the sides and ends, roll it out very
thin, add the remainder of the butter,
and fold and roll as before.
To insure lightness paste should be
set in the oven as soon after 1t is made
as possible; on this account the paste
should not be begun to be made until
the oven is half heated, which some
times occupies an hour. If paste be
left twenty minutes or more before it is
baked it will become dull and heavy.
Paste should be light without being
greasy, and baked of fine color, with
out being burnt; therefore, to insure
good baking requires attention.
Puff-paste requires brisk oven; a
moderate one will best make pies and
tarts, buildings and biscuits. Regu-
lation of heat, according to circum-
stances, is the main point in baking.
If the oven be too hot, the paste, be-
side being burned, will not rise well,
and, if it be too slack, the paste will be
soddened, not rise and want color.
Raised pies require the quickest oven.
When fruit pies are baked in iron
ovens the sirup is apt to boil out OF
them. To prevent this, set few thin
bricks on the bottom of the oven before
it is heated; but this will not be requi-
site if the oven has a stone bottom.
Tart-tins, cake-molds, and dishes
should be well buttered before baking
articles to be baked on sheets should be
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