Put four pounds of flour upon a marble slab, one pound of which place
upon one side, with an ounce of German yeast dissolved in a gill of warm
water in the centre, mix the yeast well with your fingers, add a little
more water, and mix the flour into a stiffish but delicate paste, which
roll up in the shape of a ball, cut an incision across it with a knife,
place it in a basin well floured and put it into a warmish place for ten
minutes or longer, until becoming very light, make a large hole in the
centre of the remainder of the flour, in which put half an ounce of
salt, half a gill of water, two pounds and a half of fresh butter, and
sixteen eggs, mix the eggs and butter well together, and work in the
flour by degrees, if too stiff add more eggs, the paste must be kept
rather softish, press it out with, your hands by degrees, lay the leaven
upon it, which spread over, bring the ends over with your knife, press
it out again and fold over until well mixed, sprinkle some flour upon a
clean cloth, fold the paste in it and let remain all night; when ready
to use throw some flour upon your pastry slab, turn your paste out upon
it and work it up together with your hands, then cut a piece, which
mould into a ball with the hands, place it upon a piece of buttered
paper on a baking-sheet, make an impression with your hand in the
centre, mould another ball of the paste two thirds the size of the
former, wet the former ball with a little water, fix the other upon it,
press gently, egg over with a paste-brush, make a few incisions round
with a knife, and put it in a moderate oven, (it will require about two
hours baking, to try when done run a thin wooden skewer into it, if done
it will come out perfectly dry,) bake of a nice gold colour. Many small
cakes, rissoles, &c., are made from this paste. By buttering a
middle-sized stewpan, putting a band of paper four inches in height
round, and baking the paste in it, it will of itself make a remove, but
of course requiring longer baking.