Evening star., 1902-04-26
Table and Kitchen.
Some Rich Pastes and Ways to Pre-
pare Them.

1ne reason the Hrst eHortS, without a prac-
tical demonstration lesson. SO often fail is
not so much the fault in the making Of the
paste, but because it is not properly han
died after 1t Is put together. AS the light
ness Of puff paste depends entirely on the
air enfolded between the thin layers of but
ter and flour, and the slightest pressure will
cause these thin strata to cling together,
and the air being pressed out from between
the paste will not rise, therefore the pastry
in order to be light and very flaky must be
handled with the lightest fingers. In fact
| 1t should not be handled at all properly
speaking. After 1t has been rolled out the
first time a broad bladed knife should be
slipped under the sheet of paste to draw 1t
toward you on the board and for folding;
while the knife and pastry cutters should
be shap, SO that the cutting may be done
quickly and the pastry not dragged
| The paste must be kept very cold through
| the entire process, until it goes into the
oven, in order to nave it tender and crisp.
While the work OF making puff or other
| delicate pastes seems more troublesome
! than profitable, 1t is worth while to master
the art, for SO many dainty trif1es may be
made with it. which cannot be attempted
| with ordinary paste.
Making Puff Paste in Warm Weather.
This Is not difficult If You have ice; use
ice water for mixing, have your butter firm
| as possible by being kept on ice until the
| last moment. Select the coolest place pos
sible for the work, using a marble slab.
| Make the paste the day before you wish to
| use it and do not remove the entire uuan-
| tity from the pan, but only as much as is
| needed at the time.
Brioche Paste.
This is preferred to the richer paste by
| many In summer as 1t is less difficult to
| make, but 1t will not keep as long and
| should be made UP and used the day after
| you have begun to make it. Brioche paste
| may be used in quite as many ways as the
feuilletage. One popular mode is to bake
| 1t alone in one large brioche and serve it
| with a compete of fruit or it may be made
| in small rings or for sweet vols-au-vent.
Feuilletage or French Puff Paste.
Put a pound Of flour dried and sifted
| into a bowl or on the marble pastry slab
| Wash a pound Of fresh, sweet butter In
ice water until salt is removed break off
| about two ounces and put in the middle of
| the flour. Lay the remainder on ice. Beat
! the yolks of two eggs and mix with a few
| tablespoonfuls of ice water. Then with
| the thumb and two fingers gradually work
| in the butter and the liquid forming the
| whole into a smooth paste. Knead it few
| minutes until smooth and velvety, then pat
| out into a square layer and breaking the
| larger portion of butter quickly into small
| pieces, place in the middle Of the paste,
| roll up lightly and roll out, from you, into
| long, thin sheet, fold Il in three turn 1t
| around and roll again and fold; then place
| on ice or in very cold place three or four
| minutes. then roll and fold twice again, be-
| ing careful that the butter does not break
| through the paste. Set once more in a
| cold place, and repeatlthel rolling and fold
| ing. Then let it stand. wrapped in a nap
kin. until the next day, before baking.
| Croquante Paste.
| Pound and sift half pound of loaf sugar
| and mix with a pound of sifted -four and
| stir In sufficient number of beaten egg
! yolks to form into a smooth paste. Beat
| and knead well and roll out the size of the
| croquante form and about a quarter of an
inch thick. Butter the form We'll and
| press the paste closely over it in order to
| cut the pattern in Well; then lay on a bak-
| ing tin, brush over lightly with beaten
| white of egg, sift sugar over it, and bake
| IN slow oven. When done carefully re-
| move from form and cover with any pre-
| serves or jam.
Frangipane Paste.
| Half pound of sifted fbur six eggs and
| little milk. Just moisten the flour with
| milk, put into a clean, smooth saucepan
and beat 1t well together to a smooth
paste; then turn out and stir in the eggs
| we'll beaten, until the paste is cold enough
! to make up in the hand. Use 1t for all
I sorts of tartS and entrements.
| How to Make Brioche Paste.
Put four ounces of finest -four into a
bowl; add to 1t half an ounce Of German
yeast and mix into a soft dough with a
| little warm mot hot water. Cover first
| with Toured CLOTH then with q cover, and
| put in warm place to rise until 1t is
| more than it's original bulk. Meanwhile
| spread on the marble pastry slab or board
eight ounces of flour. make q hole in the
| middle into which put about six ounces of
| fresh butter, little salt, five whole eggs
| and two spoonfuls of, rich cream Mix all
| these ingredients well into the flour until
you have smooth paste. Work well with
| the hands, then rub it back and forth with
| the palm of the hand, on the slab, three or
four times; pull out and spread the sponge
| or piece OF leaven, If ready, over it, then
| thoroughly but lightly mix both together.
The paste must be delicate and soft. but
| firm enough not to spread out on the board
| If too soft, work in a little more -four; If
| too stiff. another egg. When 1t is made
| dredge cloth with -four and fold the
| paste In this and let 1t stand for twelve
hours. Then take out of the bowl, dredge
| with flour and knead well. Replace 1t un-
der the cover and let it stand for two or
| three hours; then knead again when used
| or formed into just whatever form shape
you please. 1t may be baked in crusts or
vols-au-vent forms and kept in dry place
| until needed.
| Nougat Paste.
This is a useful paste for pretty, sweet
| dishes.
| Take pound of Jordan tsweeD almonds,
| blanch and rub off the the skins with
| cloth. Throw into cold water for few
| minutes. then take them out and dry on
| a napkin. Cut each almond in shavings and
put into a slow oven and let them get nice
ly colored. Melt three-quarters Of pound
OF pounded white sugar over the fire, STIR
ring to prevent burning. When 1t is straw
colored and begins to bubble, put the al
monds IN hot. Lift the saucepan from the
fire and mix sugar and almonds together.
Keep the nougat very hot. Warm and oil
slightly tin baking sheet and spread the
nougat over 1t, pressing it out in thin
layer with half lemon. Have your molds
or mold well oiled ana put III the nougat
as quickly as you can, pressing 1t fiat
against the mold with the half Of lemon.
Do not let the nougat- get cold or it will
become brittle and you will not be able to
form it. When it has become quite cold
turn out of the forms and fill with favored
| whipped cream plain or mixed with fruit