The American Pictorial Home Book
or Housekeeper's Encyclopedia - online book

A reference manual of household management in Victorian times.

Home Main Menu Order Support About Search



Share page  


Previous Contents Next

296
PASTRY FOR PIES.
PASTRY FOR PIES OF ANY KIND.
Plain Pastry—(Mrs. E. A. Upshur.)—One and a quarter lbs. of lard, 1-4 lb. butter. Divide the flour into two parts, 3-4 in one part and 1-4 in the other; cut up the butter in the 3-4 ot the flour and make it very stiff with a little water, then roll in the lard in two roll­ings and use the other flour to sift over the lard after it is put on the paste in small pieces all over it. The pastry should be worked with a knife and never with the hand. That makes it soft and prevents it from flaking.
To Preserve Pie Paste for a Time.—Take the pie dough or paste trimmings that may be left, mould it into a ball, wrap it in clean paper or put into a flour basket. Keep in a cool place,
A Less Expensive Dough for Pies.—Half lb. of butter, 3-4 lb. flour, 2 spoonfuls sour cream, 2 eggs, a pinch of salt. For all kinds of fruits.
Homemade Pastry.—One-quarter lb. lard or butter, or butter and larcl of equal proportions. Take a small portion of the above, mak­ing out the roll very thin, handling very little, dividing the lard into three portions.
Beef Suet to Soften for Making Pie Paste.—Have it well-soaked, perfectly clean, dry, fresh, hard and chopped fine, then moisten it with a little butter, lard or oil, while working or beating it in a mortar, till it becomes one sheet, when it is ready to work in your flour in the desired proportion to make a pie paste.
Sandwich Pastry.—Roll out pieces of paste very thin, of equal size, spread apricot or raspberry jam over one of them, cover with the other; bake it; cut it in squares or rounds and glaze it with French glazing.
Rice Paste for Sweets.—Boil 1-2 lb. ground rice in the smallest quantity of water, strain from it all the moisture as well as you can, beat it in a mortar with 1-2 oz. of butter, 1 egg well beaten and it will make an excellent paste for tarts, etc.
Puffett—(R.)-—One quart sifted flour, in which rub 2 teaspoon-fuls cream tartar, butter the size of an egg, 2 teaspoonfuls powdered sugar, 2 beaten eggs, mix very smoothly and add 1 pint of milk and 1 teaspoonful soda dissolved in a little boiling water. Bake at once. Serve last with butter.
Puff Loaves.—To 1 pint of milk add 4 moderate spoonfuls flour, 4 eggs, leaving out the whites of 2 eggs, 1-2 lb. butter melted, a little sugar and salt. This quantity makes 6 puddings. Bake them in a quick oven.
French PuFf Paste or FEuilletage—(Founded on M. Ude's