with two ounces of butter, rub well together with the hands, make a hole
in the centre, in which put a pinch of salt and the yolk of an egg with
the juice of a lemon; mix with water as before, then roll it out thin
and lay half a pound of butter (prepared as for puff paste) rolled into
thin sheets over, fold it in three, roll and fold again twice over, lay
it in a cold place a quarter of an hour, give another roll, and it is
ready for use where required; this paste is mostly used for fruit tarts,
for which it is well adapted.
687. _Short Paste, or Pâte à foncer._--Put a pound of best flour upon
your pastry slab, make a hole in the centre, in which put an ounce of
salt, half a pound of fresh butter, and sufficient water to form a stiff
paste, mix well together, and it is ready for use where directed.
688. _Short Paste for Fruit Tarts._--Put a pound of flour upon your
pastry slab with six ounces of butter, and rub them well together; then
make a hole in the centre, in which put two ounces of powdered sugar,
two whole eggs, and a large wineglassful of water, mix the eggs, sugar,
and water well, then drown in the flour and mix together, and work it
lightly.
689. _Pâte d'Office, or Confectioner's Paste._--Weigh half a pound of
flour, which put upon your slab, make a hole in the centre, in which put
six ounces of sifted sugar, mix it well with four eggs into a stiffish
paste, having first well dissolved the sugar with the eggs, work it
well, it is then ready for use.
This paste was very much used when pièces montés were so much in vogue,
but in the several receipts in which it is referred to, it is used upon
quite a new principle, and very much simplified; this paste, with the
above proportions, ought to be very stiff, but still pliable enough to
be worked without breaking; should it be too stiff add more eggs, or too
soft more flour; the half or quarter of the above quantity may of course
be made.
690. _Vols-au-Vent_ of all things in pastry require the most care and
precision; they that can make a good vol-au-vent may be stamped as good
pastrycooks, although many variations in working puff paste, all others
are of secondary importance. Make a pound of puff paste, giving it seven
rolls and a half, leave it an inch in thickness, make a mark upon the
top either round or oval, and according to the size of your dish; then,
with a sharp-pointed knife, cut it out from the paste, holding the knife
with the point slanting outwards; turn it over, mark the edges with the
back of your knife, and place it upon a baking-sheet, which you have
sprinkled with water; egg over the top, then dip the point of the knife
into hot water, and cut a ring upon the top a quarter of an inch deep,
and half an inch from the edge of the vol-au-vent, set in a rather hot
oven, if getting too much color, cover over with a sheet of paper, do
not take it out before done, or it would fall, but when quite set, cut
off the lid, and empty it with a knife; be careful to make no hole in
the side or bottom; if for first course it is ready, but if for second
sift sugar all over, which glaze with the salamander. Regulate the
thickness of the paste from which you cut the vol-au-vent, according to
the size you require it, the smaller ones of course requiring thinner
paste. A vol-au-vent for entrées will take about half an hour to bake,
and as the common iron ovens often throw out more heat upon one side
than the other, it will require turning two or three times to cause it
to rise equal; it ought to be when baked of a light gold color.
691. _Vol-au-Vent of Peaches._--Put half a pound of sugar in a
sugar-pan, with the juice of a lemon and about half a pint of water,
place it upon the fire and boil till becoming a thickish syrup; then
have eight peaches not quite ripe, which cut in halves, break their
stones and blanch the kernels, throw six halves with the kernels into
the syrup, boil three minutes, take them out with a skimmer, lay them
upon a dish and take off their skins, stew the rest in syrup in like
manner, four at a time; when all done pour what liquor runs from them
again into the syrup, which reduce to a good thickness, pass it through
a tammy into a basin, when cold pour a little over the peaches and leave
until ready to serve; dress the peaches in your vol-au-vent with the
syrup over. This is a receipt I learnt in France, where I got peaches
for a sou each.
692. _Vol-au-Vent with Fruit._--These are generally used for the second
course, and do not require to be so high as the other, especially as the
fruit ought to be dressed in the form of a pyramid, if they are cut
about three quarters of an inch in thickness it will be enough; when
nearly done, sift some powdered sugar over them, and put it back in the
oven to glaze well, if not hot enough use the salamander; remove the
interior, taking care not to make a hole in the bottom or sides, and
fill with any kind of fruit you like, but never mix two kinds together,
except currant and raspberry.
693. _Sweet Vol-au-Vent with Rhubarb._--In the spring of the year, this
makes a very inviting and wholesome dish, and its qualities purify the
blood, which the winter's food has rendered gross; cut about twelve
sticks of rhubarb into lengths of one inch, put it in a stewpan holding
about two quarts, put over it a quarter of a pound of sugar, and a
tablespoonful of water, set it on a sharp fire, stirring it, do not let
it get brown, or it would spoil and lose its flavor; it will take but a
few minutes to do; when tender, put it in a basin to cool; a few minutes
before serving, fill the vol-au-vent with it, and serve cold.
694. _Ditto, with green Gooseberries._--A quart of green gooseberries, a
quarter of a pound of powdered sugar, the juice of half a lemon, and a
tablespoonful of water, put on the fire and move it about for ten
minutes, or till tender, and forming a thick green marmalade, put it in
a basin till cold, serve in pyramid in the vol-au-vent; a little thick
syrup, if handy, poured over, improves the appearance.
695. _Ditto, with Orange._--Well peel six oranges, removing all the
pith, divide each into six or eight pieces, put them in a pan, with a
quarter of a pound of sugar, and the juice of one orange, set it on a
slow fire, with the cover on, stir it now and then; ten minutes will be
sufficient time for it, take out the pieces one after the other, lay
them in a basin, reduce your syrup to a proper thickness, when ready to
serve, dish your pieces of orange in it, and pour over the syrup.
696. _Another method._--Make a thick syrup with half a pound of sugar,
put in your pieces by a dozen at a time, just give them a boiling,
remove them on a sieve, then add the other pieces, when all done, add
the juice, which pass through a sieve, and back again to the pan, boil
till a proper thickness, dish up and serve the syrup over.
697. _Ditto, a still plainer method._--Have the pieces of orange ready,
and put in a stewpan a quarter of a pound of sugar, a wineglass of
brandy or rum, stir it well a few minutes, and serve with the liquor
poured over.
698. _Ditto, with Cherries._--Stone one pound of cherries, and put in a
pan, with a quarter of a pound of powdered sugar, stew for five minutes,
take them down, drain, then reduce the syrup till thick, and pour over
at the moment of serving.
699. _Ditto, with Strawberries._--Pick two pottles of very fresh
strawberries, not too ripe, put them in with two ounces of powdered
sugar, a teaspoonful of powdered cinnamon, toss them gently in a basin,
and serve immediately in your vol-au-vent.
700. _Ditto, with Apples._--This fruit being procurable all the year
renders it one of very great convenience; Ripstone pippins are the best:
cut in four, peel them, put a pint of syrup, when boiling, put in your
apples, with the peel of half a lemon, and the juice of a whole one, let
simmer till tender, put it in a basin, boil the syrup to a white jelly,
let it stand till cold, put the apple in the vol-au-vent, and pour the
syrup (cold) or jelly over; serve a few ornaments made with very green
angelica.
701. _Another method._--Cut any kind of apple, rather thin, put over a
quarter of a pound of powdered sugar, the rind of a lemon chopped, the
juice of the same, one ounce of butter, and a glass of sherry, put on
the fire, toss till tender, but keep it very white, put it in a basin,
when cold dish in your vol-au-vent; whip a gill of good cream, add ten
drops of orange-flower water in it, cover over carefully and serve.
Apple sauté with butter, in this way may be served hot in the
vol-au-vent. Any kind of plums or apricots, when plentiful, may be done
the same as cherries, and served the same way.
702. _Little Fruit Rissolettes._--I also make with the trimmings of puff
paste the following little cakes: if you have about a quarter of a pound
of puff paste left, roll it out very thin, about the thickness of half a
crown, put half a spoonful of any marmalade on it, about one inch
distance from each other, wet lightly round them with a paste-brush, and
place a piece of paste over all, take a cutter of the size of a crown
piece, and press round the part where the marmalade or jam is, with the
thick part of the cutter, to make the paste stick, then cut them out
with one a size larger, lay them on a baking-tin, egg over, then cut a
little ring in paste, the size of a shilling, put it on them, egg over
again, place in a nice hot oven for twenty minutes, then sugar over with
finely sifted sugar, so as to make it quite white all over, then put
back into the oven to glaze: should the oven not be sufficiently hot,
take a salamander, or, for the want of one, a red-hot shovel, full of
live coals, may be used; serve in the form of a pyramid. A little
currant jelly in the ring looks well.
703. _Flanc of Fruit._--This requires a mould the same as No. 602; it
must be well wiped with a cloth, butter it, then take the remains of
puff paste, and roll it well so as to deaden it, then roll it out a size
larger than your mould, and about a quarter of an inch thick, place your
mould on a baking-tin, put the paste carefully in the mould and shape it
well, to obtain all the form of the mould, without making a hole in it;
put a piece of paper at the bottom, fill with flour to the top, and bake
a nice color; it will take about half an hour, then take out the flour
and paper, open the mould, and fill it.
704. _Flancs_, with any kind of fruit, like a vol-au-vent, are more
easily made, and are equally as good a side dish. This may be made of
half-puff or short paste, and fill with raw cherries and some pounded
sugar over: bake together. Greengages, apricots, or any kind of plums,
will require a hotter oven than for flour only in it, the fruit giving
moisture to the paste; if baked in a slow oven will be heavy, and
consequently indigestible.
705. _Another._--If you have no mould, make a quarter of a pound of
paste (No. 688), roll it round or oval to your fancy, a quarter of an
inch thick, wet the edge all round about half an inch, raise that part
and pinch it round with your thumbs and fingers, making a border all
round, put on a baking-sheet, fill with fruit one row, if large two;
remove the stones, and sift sugar over according to the acidity of the
fruit; it will take less time, too, than if in a mould: you see what
variation can be made with very little trouble or expense.
706. _Flanc of Apples._--I just perceive that I had forgot to give you a
few receipts in this way of cake, which I make very pretty when we have
a party. Take eight Ripstone pippins, cut in four, peel a nice shape,
rub with lemon, put half a pound of sugar in a pan, cover with cold
water, juice of a lemon; boil till rather thick, then add half the
apples, simmer till tender, put them on a plate, do the remainder the
same way, reduce the syrup a little, put the apples in a basin, pour
syrup over: when cold, dish in pyramid in the crust, which you have
prepared as No. 703, pour over the syrup, which should be a jelly. I
often cut in fine strips the rind of a lemon or orange, boil with the
apples, and ornament also with pieces of young angelica preserved, cut
in diamond, placing a piece between each apple. Flancs of pears may be
made precisely the same way, but with good ripe eating pears cut in two
lengthwise, leaving the stalk cut in half.
707. _A plainer way._--Peel and cut eight apples in thin slices in a
pan, with two ounces of pounded sugar, the rind and juice of a lemon,
the rind well chopped, put on fire, stir till forming a thick marmalade,
and tender, melt a little currant jelly, pour over and serve.
708. _Small Fruit Tarts._--The next in order to sweet vol-au-vents, and
which are easier to make, are tartlets, their appearance being inviting,
and their expense limited, and very easy to serve. They may be made from
the trimmings of any puff paste which remains, should be enveloped in
paper, and kept in a cold place, or in the flour tub. Make them as
follows:--Have ready twelve or more small tartlet pans, which butter,
line each with a bit of puff paste cut with a cutter the size of a crown
piece, force up the edges with your thumb and finger, put a small ball
(made of flour and water) in each, bake them nicely in a very hot oven;
when done take out the ball (which may be kept for other occasions), the
tartlets, and shake powdered sugar over the bottom of each, and glaze
with a salamander, turn them over, and shake sugar in the interior,
which also salamander; fill with any kind of preserve, marmalade, or
fruit, for sweet vol-au-vents. They may be made with cream as
follows:--Make your tartlets as before, placing cream instead of the
ball of flour, made thus: put half a pint of milk in a stewpan, when
boiling, add half a stick of vanilla, reduce the milk to half in another
stewpan, have the yolks of two eggs and a quarter of an ounce of
powdered sugar, and one ounce of sifted flour, with a grain of salt,
pour in the milk, taking out the vanilla, place over a slow fire, keep
stirring till it thickens; when cold, fill the tartlets, and bake nicely
in a moderate oven; when cold, add a little jam, have ready a meringue
of four eggs (see No. 711), lay a teaspoonful of each upon them,
spreading it quite flat with a knife, ornament the top with some of the
mixture, put into a paper cornet, sift sugar over, place in a slow oven
till a light brown color, and the meringue quite crisp; if the oven is
too hot, cover with a sheet of paper, dress, and serve in pyramid upon
your dish. They ought to be of a light color.
709. _Rissole Fourrée._--This is made as the rissole for entrées; it is
a very simple receipt, and I vary it continually without the slightest
difficulty; instead of making it with orange I substitute apricot
marmalade, apple, raspberry, strawberry, or greengage jam; but no jelly,
as currant or apple, as it would run through the paste and look bad. To
vary the appearance at table, instead of egging, dust them lightly over
with some coarse powdered sifted sugar, then bake them white instead of
brown; if the oven is too hot cover with a sheet of paper, put a little
marmalade or jam in a ring which you have selected, and serve. By
blanching and chopping a few pistachios, and mixing with the sugar,
makes them look very inviting, or even chopped sweet almonds changes the
flavor; they may also be filled with any preparation of cream, rice, or
vermicelli, prepared as for croquets. I also change them by sautéing, as
they are much quicker done, and make a very nice dish. To remove the
roast of the second course, I put six at a time in the sauté-pan (see
page 62), which must be hot, and sauté a few minutes until a nice pale
yellow color, serve with sifted sugar over, or egg and bread-crumb;
serve very hot; if any left cold, warm in the oven.
710. _Flanc Meringue of Apple._--Sometimes I make a meringue of three
eggs, as No. 711; when it is hard I cover the apples with it half an
inch thick, keeping the pyramid; then I put the remainder in a paper
cornet; cut the point so that by pressing it the mixture may go out by
degrees, with which I make various designs, according to fancy, sugar
over, and put for half an hour to bake in a very slow oven; the color
ought to be pale yellow; they are equally good hot or cold. If you would
keep it quite white, bake it in a still slower oven, and give it a
quarter of an hour longer. When I do it so, I merely make dots all over,
about a quarter of an inch distant from each other, of the size of small
nuts, sugar over, and put a Corinth raisin in each knob, which gives it
a good appearance, and bake as directed; when the eggs are just set, you
may cover it with a sheet of paper, to prevent it taking too much color.
711. _Meringues à la Cuillerée._--Pound and sift one pound of lump
sugar, whisk the whites of twelve eggs very stiff, throw the sugar
lightly over, and with a wooden spoon stir gently, perfectly mixing the
sugar, then with a table or dessert-spoon lay them out upon white paper
in the shape of eggs, sift powdered sugar thickly over, let them remain
ten minutes, then shake off the superfluous sugar, place upon boards
which you have wetted, and put them in a slow oven, just hot enough to
cause them to be light and slightly tinged; when the outside becomes
quite crisp, take off the papers, by turning them topsy-turvy and
lifting the papers from them, dip your spoon into hot water, and with it
clear out the best part of the interior, dust them with powdered sugar,
lay them upon a baking-sheet, and put into the screen to dry; they may
be made a day or two before they are required, if put away in a dry
place; to serve, fill them with whipped cream flavored either with
vanilla or orange-flower (but do not make it too sweet), stick two
together, dress in pyramid upon a napkin, and serve. Should they happen
to stick to the papers, moisten the papers with a paste-brush and water
underneath.
712. _Gáteau Fourré._--This style of cake is exceedingly simple, and
admits of great variation. You must make a half pound of puff paste (No.
684), take one third of it and roll it out several times so as to deaden
it, then mould it round with your hands to the shape of a ball, then
roll it out flat to the thickness of half a crown, lay it on a
baking-sheet, put on it marmalade a quarter of an inch thick, reserving
about one inch all round of paste to fix the cover on, then roll out the
remainder of the paste to the same shape, it will of course be thicker,
wet the edges of the bottom and lay the cover on it, press it so that it
sticks, cut neatly round the edges, and make a mark with the back of a
knife about a quarter of an inch deep and half an inch apart all round,
egg over, and lightly mark any fanciful design with the point of a knife
on the cover, bake in a very hot oven for twenty minutes; when nearly
done sprinkle some sugar over and salamander, and serve cold. It may be
made with frangipane and cream and apple marmalade, and then can be
served hot.
713. _Dartoise Fourrée._--The former one must be made in proportion to
the dish you intend to serve on, but the following is simple, and looks
as well: prepare the paste as before, but roll the bottom piece square,
put it on a baking-sheet, cover with jam, marmalade or frangipane,
leaving one inch at the edge, roll the cover the same size, wet the
edges, place it over, trim the edges, mark it down every three inches,
and then crosswise every inch; bake in hot oven, sugar over, and
salamander. When nearly cold, cut it where you have marked it; thus, a
piece twelve inches square will give you forty-eight pieces; dish as a
crown or pyramid, twelve pieces make a nice dish for a party. They may
be made of any puff paste which is left, but will not be so light as if
made on purpose; can be cut to any fanciful shape you please.
714. _Nougat of Apricot._--Proceed as above, but lay apricot marmalade
all over a quarter of an inch thick, blanched almonds, cut into fillets,
mixed with two ounces of sugar, and the white of an egg added to it,
bake in a moderate oven, and cut in true lozenge shapes (I do not mean
those things called lozenges, but a diamond shape), dish up on a napkin
in crown or pyramid; they ought to be of a nice transparent color.
Orange, apple, or quince marmalade may be used instead of apricot. Red
fruit preserve does not cook well.
715. _Crusts of Fruit._--Put a quarter of a pound of butter in a
sauté- or frying-pan, sprinkle a little sugar over, cut four or five
slices of bread a quarter of an inch thick, three inches long, and one
and a half wide, lay in your pan; take one dozen of greengages, open
them in two, they must not be too ripe, lay the skin part on your bread,
put a pinch of sugar in each, put it in a hot oven for twenty minutes;
have ready a salamander or a hot shovel, and hold it over it for a few
minutes, dish and serve hot or cold; the oven ought to be hot enough to
give a nice yellow color to the bottom, which will eat crisp.
716. _Crusts with Madeira._--Cut a French penny roll lengthwise in four
or five slices, put the yolks of two eggs, with four spoonfuls of milk,
mix it in a plate, dip quickly each piece in it, and sauté in a quarter
of a pound of butter which you have previously melted in a pan, leave
them on the fire until they have obtained a nice gold color on both
sides, put a spoonful of apricot marmalade in a stewpan, with two
glasses of Madeira, and place on the fire; when on the point of boiling,
pour over the bread, which you have previously put in a plate, and serve
very hot. Any preserve may be used, also any white wine; and should you
have no French rolls, any fancy roll will do, or stale brioche (No. 11)
is excellent for them.
717. _Cheesecakes._--Under this head, in English Cookery Books, are
a variety of Receipts, but in fact, there is only one; the others
may all be denominated tartlets of one kind or the other, and
require but little skill on the part of the cook to vary in an
innumerable number of ways. The following is the plan in use in the
farm-houses in the midland counties; some which I have received
from Stilton, and also from Tuxford, in Nottinghamshire, are
excellent.
Take four quarts of milk and turn it with some fresh rennet; when dry,
crumble it and sift it through a coarse sieve into a bowl, beat it well
up with a quarter of a pound of butter until it is quite smooth (it may
require a little more butter, depending on the quality of the milk); mix
in another bowl the yolks of four eggs and a quarter of a pound of very
fine sifted biscuit powder, the rind of four lemons, the juice of two, a
quarter of a pound of powdered sugar (some add a little grated nutmeg or
cinnamon), beat these all well up together until forming a stiff cream,
then put it by degrees into the bowl with curd, and mix them well
together; line some tartlet-pans, previously buttered, with some paste
(No. 686), and place some of the above mixture in, and bake quick. In
some places milk is used instead of eggs. Should you not have rennet,
procure some good milk, and turn it with the juice of a lemon or a
teaspoonful of soda or culinary alkali to a quart of milk: drain the
curd, and proceed as before.
718. _Richmond Maids of Honor._--These delicious little cakes,
which every inhabitant of London who pays a visit to the most
picturesque part of its environs knows so well, derive their name
from a period when cookery was not thought to be a degrading
occupation for those honored with that title. It is stated that
they originated with the maids of honor of Queen Elizabeth, who had
a palace at Richmond. I have a little work now before me, called
'The Queen's Delight,' in which are several receipts invented by
the wives of the first nobles of the land, which I think is an
excellent example for those housewives who honor this book by their
perusal, to imitate. They are made as follows:
Sift half a pound of dry curd, mix it well with six ounces of good
butter, break the yolks of four eggs into another basin, and a glass of
brandy; add to it six ounces of powdered lump sugar, and beat well
together one very flowery baked potato, cold, one ounce of sweet
almonds, one ounce of bitter ditto pounded, the grated rind of three
lemons, the juice of one, and half a nutmeg grated, mix these well
together and add to the curds and butter; stir well up, and proceed as
before, filling the tartlet pans.
719. _Lemon Cheesecakes._--Take two large lemons, and rub the rind with
one pound of loaf sugar, so that all the yellow part is removed; place
the sugar in a basin, squeeze the juice of the lemons over, then add the
yolks of six eggs, and beat it all well up, and put it by in a jar for
use. It will keep for years. Any flavor, such as vanilla or cinnamon,
may be added, if liked, when required for use. Having made the paste and
lined the tins, mix one tablespoonful of the mixture with a teacupful of
good milk, and place a little in each tartlet.