Book of Household Management — 059 - Recipes. Chapter 27. Part 1.

1205. INGREDIENTS.

--To every lb.

of flour allow 1 lb.

of butter, and not quite 1/2 pint of water.

_Mode_.

--Carefully weigh the flour and butter, and have the exact proportion; squeeze the butter well, to extract the water from it, and afterwards wring it in a clean cloth, that no moisture may remain.

Sift the flour; see that it is perfectly dry, and proceed in the following manner to make the paste, using a very _clean_ paste-board and rolling-pin:--Supposing the quantity to be 1 lb.

of flour, work the whole into a smooth paste, with not quite 1/2 pint of water, using a knife to mix it with: the proportion of this latter ingredient must be regulated by the discretion of the cook; if too much be added, the paste, when baked, will be tough.

Roll it out until it is of an equal thickness of about an inch; break 4 oz.

of the butter into small pieces;

place these on the paste, sift over it a little flour, fold it over, roll out again, and put another 4 oz.

of butter.

Repeat the rolling and buttering until the paste has been rolled out 4 times, or equal quantities of flour and butter have been used.

Do not omit, every time the paste is rolled out, to dredge a little flour over that and the rolling-pin, to prevent both from sticking.

Handle the paste as lightly as possible, and do not press heavily upon it with the rolling-pin.

The next thing to be considered is the oven, as the baking of pastry requires particular attention.

Do not put it into the oven until it is sufficiently hot to raise the paste; for the best-prepared paste, if not properly baked, will be good for nothing.

Brushing the paste as often as rolled out, and the pieces of butter placed thereon, with the white of an egg, assists it to rise in _leaves_ or _flakes_.

As this is the great beauty of puff-paste, it is as well to try this method.

_Average cost_, 1s.

4d.

per lb.

BUTTER.

--About the second century of the Christian era, butter was placed by Galen amongst the useful medical agents; and about a century before him, Dioscorides mentioned that he had noticed that fresh butter, made of ewes' and goats' milk, was served at meals instead of oil, and that it took the place of fat in making pastry.

Thus we have undoubted authority that, eighteen hundred years ago, there existed a knowledge of the useful qualities of butter.

The Romans seem to have set about making it much as we do; for Pliny tells us, "Butter is made from milk;

and the use of this element, so much sought after by barbarous nations, distinguished the rich from the common people.

It is obtained principally from cows' milk; that from ewes is the fattest; goats also supply some.

It is produced by agitating the milk in long vessels with narrow openings: a little water is added."

MEDIUM PUFF-PASTE.

1206. INGREDIENTS.

--To every lb.

of flour allow 8 oz.

of butter, 4 oz.

of lard, not quite 1/2 pint of water.

_Mode_.

--This paste may be made by the directions in the preceding recipe, only using less butter and substituting lard for a portion of it.

Mix the flour to a smooth paste with not quite 1/2 pint of water;

then roll it out 3 times, the first time covering the paste with butter, the second with lard, and the third with butter.

Keep the rolling-pin and paste slightly dredged with flour, to prevent them from sticking, and it will be ready for use.

_Average cost_, 1s.

per lb.

BUTTER IN HASTE.

--In his "History of Food," Soyer says that to obtain butter instantly, it is only necessary, in summer, to put new milk into a bottle, some hours after it has been taken from the cow, and shake it briskly.

The clots which are thus formed should be thrown into a sieve, washed and pressed together, and they constitute the finest and most delicate butter that can possibly be made.

COMMON PASTE, for Family Pies.

1207. INGREDIENTS.

--1-1/4 lb.

of flour, 1/2 lb.

of butter, rather more than 1/2 pint of water.

_Mode_.

--Rub the butter lightly into the flour, and mix it to a smooth paste with the water; roll it out 2 or 3 times, and it will be ready for use.

This paste may be converted into an excellent short crust for sweet tart, by adding to the flour, after the butter is rubbed in, 2 tablespoonfuls of fine-sifted sugar.

_Average cost_, 8d.

per lb.

TO KEEP BUTTER FRESH.

--One of the best means to preserve butter fresh is, first to completely press out all the buttermilk, then to keep it under water, renewing the water frequently, and to remove it from the influence of heat and air, by wrapping it in a wet cloth.

FRENCH PUFF-PASTE, or FEUILLETAGE.

(Founded on M. Ude's Recipe.

) 1208. INGREDIENTS.

--Equal quantities of flour and butter--say 1 lb.

of each; 1/2 saltspoonful of salt, the yolks of 2 eggs, rather more than 1/4 pint of water.

_Mode_.

--Weigh the flour; ascertain that it is perfectly _dry_, and sift it; squeeze all the water from the butter, and wring it in a clean cloth till there is no moisture remaining.

Put the flour on the paste-board, work lightly into it 2 oz.

of the butter, and then make a hole in the centre; into this well put the yolks of 2 eggs, the salt, and about 1/4 pint of water (the quantity of this latter ingredient must be regulated by the cook, as it is impossible to give the exact proportion of it);

knead up the paste quickly and lightly, and, when quite smooth, roll it out square to the thickness of about 1/2 inch.

Presuming that the butter is perfectly free from moisture, and _as cool_ as possible, roll it into a ball, and place this ball of butter on the paste; fold the paste over the butter all round, and secure it by wrapping it well all over.

Flatten the paste by rolling it lightly with the rolling-pin until it is quite thin, but not thin enough to allow the butter to break through, and keep the board and paste dredged lightly with flour during the process of making it.

This rolling gives it the _first_ turn.

Now fold the paste in three, and roll out again, and, should the weather be very warm, put it in a cold place on the ground to cool between the several turns; for, unless this is particularly attended to, the paste will be spoiled.

Roll out the paste again _twice_, put it by to cool, then roll it out _twice_ more, which will make 6 _turnings_ in all.

Now fold the paste in two, and it will be ready for use.

If properly baked and well made, this crust will be delicious, and should rise in the oven about 5 or 6 inches.

The paste should be made rather firm in the first instance, as the ball of butter is liable to break through.

Great attention must also be paid to keeping the butter very cool, as, if this is in a liquid and soft state, the paste will not answer at all.

Should the cook be dexterous enough to succeed in making this, the paste will have a much better appearance than that made by the process of dividing the butter into 4 parts, and placing it over the rolled-out paste; but, until experience has been acquired, we recommend puff-paste made by recipe No. 1205. The above paste is used for vols-au-vent, small articles of pastry, and, in fact, everything that requires very light crust.

_Average cost_, 1s.

6d.

per lb.

WHAT TO DO WITH RANCID BUTTER.

--When butter has become very rancid, it should be melted several times by a moderate heat, with or without the addition of water, and as soon as it has been well kneaded, after the cooling, in order to extract any water it may have retained, it should be put into brown freestone pots, sheltered from the contact of the air.

The French often add to it, after it has been melted, a piece of toasted bread, which helps to destroy the tendency of the batter to rancidity.

SOYER'S RECIPE FOR PUFF-PASTE.

1209. INGREDIENTS.

--To every lb.

of flour allow the yolk of 1 egg, the juice of 1 lemon, 1/2 saltspoonful of salt, cold water, 1 lb.

of fresh butter.

_Mode_.

--Put the flour on to the paste-board; make a hole in the centre, into which put the yolk of the egg, the lemon-juice, and salt; mix the whole with cold water (this should be iced in summer, if convenient) into a soft flexible paste, with the right hand, and handle it as little as possible; then squeeze all the buttermilk from the butter, wring it in a cloth, and roll out the paste; place the butter on this, and fold the edges of the paste over, so as to hide it; roll it out again to the thickness of 1/4 inch; fold over one third, over which again pass the rolling-pin; then fold over the other third, thus forming a square;

place it with the ends, top, and bottom before you, shaking a little flour both under and over, and repeat the rolls and turns twice again, as before.

Flour a baking-sheet, put the paste on this, and let it remain on ice or in some cool place for 1/2 hour; then roll twice more, turning it as before; place it again upon the ice for 1/4 hour, give it 2 more rolls, making 7 in all, and it is ready for use when required.

_Average cost_, 1s.

6d.

per lb.

VERY GOOD SHORT CRUST FOR FRUIT TARTS.

1210. INGREDIENTS.

--To every lb.

of flour allow 3/4 lb.

of butter, 1 tablespoonful of sifted sugar, 1/3 pint of water.

_Mode_.

--Rub the butter into the flour, after having ascertained that the latter is perfectly dry; add the sugar, and mix the whole into a stiff paste, with about 1/3 pint of water.

Roll it out two or three times, folding the paste over each time, and it will be ready for use.

_Average cost_, 1s.

1d.

per lb.

ANOTHER GOOD SHORT CRUST.

1211. INGREDIENTS.

--To every lb.

of flour allow 8 oz.

of butter, the yolks of 2 eggs, 2 oz.

of sifted sugar, about 1/4 pint of milk.

_Mode_.

--Rub the butter into the flour, add the sugar, and mix the whole as lightly as possible to a smooth paste, with the yolks of eggs well beaten, and the milk.

The proportion of the latter ingredient must be judged of by the size of the eggs: if these are large, so much will not be required, and more if the eggs are smaller.

_Average cost_, 1s.

per lb.

SUGAR AND BEETROOT.

--There are two sorts of Beet,--white and red; occasionally, in the south, a yellow variety is met with.

Beetroot contains twenty parts sugar.

Everybody knows that the beet has competed with the sugar-cane, and a great part of the French sugar is manufactured from beet.

Beetroot has a refreshing, composing, and slightly purgative quality.

The young leaves, when cooked, are a substitute for spinach; they are also useful for mixing with sorrel, to lessen its acidity.

The large ribs of the leaves are serviceable in various culinary preparations; the root also may be prepared in several ways, but its most general use is in salad.

Some writers upon the subject have expressed their opinion that beetroot is easily digested, but those who have taken pains to carefully analyze its qualities make quite a contrary statement.

Youth, of course, can digest it; but to persons of a certain age beet is very indigestible, or rather, it does not digest at all.

It is not the sugary pulp which is indigestible, but its fibrous network that resists the action of the gastric organs.

Thus, when the root is reduced to a puree, almost any person may eat it.

FRENCH SUGAR.

--It had long been thought that tropical heat was not necessary to form sugar, and, about 1740, it was discovered that many plants of the temperate zone, and amongst others the beet, contained it.

Towards the beginning of the 19th century, circumstances having, in France, made sugar scarce, and consequently dear, the government caused inquiries to be instituted as to the possibility of finding a substitute for it.

Accordingly, it was ascertained that sugar exists in the whole vegetable kingdom; that it is to be found in the grape, chestnut, potato; but that, far above all, the beet contains it in a large proportion.

Thus the beet became an object of the most careful culture; and many experiments went to prove that in this respect the old world was independent of the new.

Many manufactories came into existence in all parts of France, and the making of sugar became naturalized in that country.

COMMON SHORT CRUST.

1212. INGREDIENTS.

--To every pound of flour allow 2 oz.

of sifted sugar, 3 oz.

of butter, about 1/2 pint of boiling milk.

_Mode_.

--Crumble the butter into the flour as finely as possible, add the sugar, and work the whole up to a smooth paste with the boiling milk.

Roll it out thin, and bake in a moderate oven.

_Average cost_, 6d.

per lb.

QUALITIES OF SUGAR.

--Sugars obtained from various plants are in fact, of the same nature, and have no intrinsic difference when they have become equally purified by the same processes.

Taste, crystallization, colour, weight, are absolutely identical; and the most accurate observer cannot distinguish the one from the other.

BUTTER CRUST, for Boiled Puddings.

1213. INGREDIENTS.

--To every lb.

of flour allow 6 oz.

of butter, 1/2 pint of water.

_Mode_.

--With a knife, work the flour to a smooth paste with 1/2 pint of water; roll the crust out rather thin; place the butter over it in small pieces; dredge lightly over it some flour, and fold the paste over;

repeat the rolling once more, and the crust will be ready for use.

It may be enriched by adding another 2 oz.

of butter; but, for ordinary purposes, the above quantity will be found quite sufficient.

_Average cost_, 6d.

per lb.

DRIPPING CRUST, for Kitchen Puddings, Pies, &c. 1214. INGREDIENTS.

--To every lb.

of flour allow 6 oz.

of clarified beef dripping, 1/2 pint of water.

_Mode_.

--After having clarified the dripping, by either of the recipes No. 621 or 622, weigh it, and to every lb.

of flour allow the above proportion of dripping.

With a knife, work the flour into a smooth paste with the water, rolling it out 3 times, each time placing on the crust 2 oz.

of the dripping, broken into small pieces.

If this paste is lightly made, if good dripping is used, and _not too much_ of it, it will be found good; and by the addition of two tablespoonfuls of fine moist sugar, it may be converted into a common short crust for fruit pies.

_Average cost_, 4d.

per pound.

WATER:--WHAT THE ANCIENTS THOUGHT OF IT.

--All the nations of antiquity possessed great veneration for water: thus, the Egyptians offered prayers and homage to water, and the Nile was an especial object of their adoration; the Persians would not wash their hands; the Scythians honoured the Danube; the Greeks and Romans erected altars to the fountains and rivers; and some of the architectural embellishments executed for fountains in Greece were remarkable for their beauty and delicacy.

The purity of the water was a great object of the care of the ancients; and we learn that the Athenians appointed four officers to keep watch and ward over the water in their city.

These men had to keep the fountains in order and clean the reservoirs, so that the water might be preserved pure and limpid.

Like officers were appointed in other Greek cities.

SUET CRUST, for Pies or Puddings.

1215. INGREDIENTS.

--To every lb.

of flour allow 5 or 6 oz.

of beef suet, 1/2 pint of water.

_Mode_.

--Free the suet from skin and shreds; chop it extremely fine, and rub it well into the flour; work the whole to a smooth paste with the above proportion of water; roll it out, and it is ready for use.

This crust is quite rich enough for ordinary purposes, but when a better one is desired, use from 1/2 to 3/4 lb.

of suet to every lb.

of flour.

Some cooks, for rich crusts, pound the suet in a mortar, with a small quantity of butter.

It should then be laid on the paste in small pieces, the same as for puff-crust, and will be found exceedingly nice for hot tarts.

5 oz.

of suet to every lb.

of flour will make a very good crust;

and even 1/4 lb.

will answer very well for children, or where the crust is wanted very plain.

_Average cost_, 5d.

per lb.

PATE BRISEE, or FRENCH CRUST, for Raised Pies.

1216. INGREDIENTS.

--To every lb.

of flour allow 1/2 saltspoonful of salt, 2 eggs, 1/3 pint of water, 6 oz.

of butter.

_Mode_.

--Spread the flour, which should be sifted and thoroughly dry, on the paste-board; make a hole in the centre, into which put the butter;

work it lightly into the flour, and when quite fine, add the salt; work the whole into a smooth paste with the eggs (yolks and whites) and water, and make it very firm.

Knead the paste well, and let it be rather stiff, that the sides of the pie may be easily raised, and that they do not afterwards tumble or shrink.

_Average cost_, 1s.

per lb.

_Note_.

--This paste may be very much enriched by making it with equal quantities of flour and butter; but then it is not so easily raised as when made plainer.

WATER SUPPLY IN ROME.

--Nothing in Italy is more extraordinary than the remains of the ancient aqueducts.

At first, the Romans were contented with the water from the Tiber.

Ancus Martius was the first to commence the building of aqueducts destined to convey the water of the fountain of Piconia from Tibur to Rome, a distance of some 33,000 paces.

Appius Claudius continued the good work, and to him is due the completion of the celebrated Appian Way.

In time, the gigantic waterways greatly multiplied, and, by the reign of Nero, there were constructed nine principal aqueducts, the pipes of which were of bricks, baked tiles, stone, lead, or wood.

According to the calculation of Vigenerus, half a million hogsheads of water were conveyed into Rome every day, by upwards of 10,000 small pipes not one-third of an inch in diameter.

The water was received in large closed basins, above which rose splendid monuments: these basins supplied other subterranean conduits, connected with various quarters of the city, and these conveyed water to small reservoirs furnished with taps for the exclusive use of certain streets.

The water which was not drinkable ran out, by means of large pipes, into extensive inclosures, where it served to water cattle.

At these places the people wished their linen; and here, too, was a supply of the necessary element in case of fire.

COMMON CRUST FOR RAISED PIES.

1217. INGREDIENTS.

--To every lb.

of flour allow 1/2 pint of water, 1-1/2 oz.

of butter, 1-1/2 oz.

of lard, 1/2 saltspoonful of salt.

_Mode_.

--Put into a saucepan the water; when it boils, add the butter and lard; and when these are melted, make a hole in the middle of the flour; pour in the water gradually; beat it well with a wooden spoon, and be particular in not making the paste too soft.

When it is well mixed, knead it with the hands until quite stiff, dredging a little flour over the paste and board, to prevent them from sticking.

When it is well kneaded, place it before the fire, with a cloth covered over it, for a few minutes; it will then be more easily worked into shape.

This paste does not taste so nicely as the preceding one, but is worked with greater facility, and answers just as well for raised pies, for the crust is seldom eaten.

_Average cost_, 5d, per lb.

LARD OR FLEAD CRUST.

1218. INGREDIENTS.

--To every lb.

of flour allow 1/2 lb.

of lard or flead, 1/2 pint of water, 1/2 saltspoonful of salt.

_Mode_.

--Clear the flead free from skin, and slice it into thin flakes;

rub it into the flour, add the salt, and work the whole into a smooth paste, with the above proportion of water; fold the paste over two or three times, beat it well with the rolling-pin, roll it out, and it will be ready for use.

The crust made from this will be found extremely light, and may be made into cakes or tarts; it may also be very much enriched by adding more flead to the same proportion of flour.

_Average cost_, 8d.

per lb.

NUTRITIOUS QUALITIES OF FLOUR.

--The gluten of grain and the albumen of vegetable juices are identical in composition with the albumen of blood.

Vegetable caseine has also the composition of animal caseine.

The finest wheat flour contains more starch than the coarser; the bran of wheat is proportionably richer in gluten.

Rye and rye-bread contain a substance resembling starch-gum (or dextrine, as it is called) in its properties, which is very easily converted into sugar.

The starch of barley approaches in many properties to cellulose, and is, therefore, less digestible.

Oats are particularly rich in plastic substances; Scotch oats are richer than those grown in England or in Germany.

This kind of grain contains in its ashes, after deduction of the silica of the husks, very nearly the same ingredients as are found in the ashes of the juice of flesh.

Fine American flour is one of the varieties which is richest in gluten, and is consequently one of the most nutritious.

ALMOND CHEESECAKES.

1219. INGREDIENTS.

--1/4 lb.

of sweet almonds, 4 bitter ones, 3 eggs, 2 oz.

of butter, the rind of 1/4 lemon, 1 tablespoonful of lemon-juice, 3 oz.

of sugar.

_Mode_.

--Blanch and pound the almonds smoothly in a mortar, with a little rose- or spring-water; stir in the eggs, which should be well beaten, and the butter, which should be warmed; add the grated lemon-peel and -juice, sweeten, and stir well until the whole is thoroughly mixed.

Line some pattypans with puff-paste, put in the mixture, and bake for 20 minutes, or rather less in a quick oven.

_Time_.

--20 minutes, or rather less.

_Average cost_, 10d.

_Sufficient_ for about 12 cheesecakes.

_Seasonable_ at any time.

[Illustration: ALMOND AND BLOSSOM.

] ALMONDS.

--Almonds are the fruit of the _Amygdalus commenis_, and are cultivated throughout the whole of the south of Europe, Syria, Persia, and Northern Africa; but England is mostly supplied with those which are grown in Spain and the south of France.

They are distinguished into Sweet and Bitter, the produce of different varieties.

Of the sweet, there are two varieties, distinguished in commerce by the names of Jordan and Valentia almonds.

The former are imported from Malaga, and are longer, narrower, more pointed, and more highly esteemed than the latter, which are imported from Valentia.

Bitter almonds are principally obtained from Morocco, and are exported from Mogador.

ALMOND PASTE, for Second-Course Dishes.

1220. INGREDIENTS.

--1 lb.

of sweet almonds, 6 bitter ones, 1 lb.

of very finely sifted sugar, the whites of 2 eggs.

_Mode_.

--Blanch the almonds, and dry them thoroughly; put them into a mortar, and pound them well, wetting them gradually with the whites of 2 eggs.

When well pounded, put them into a small preserving-pan, add the sugar, and place the pan on a small but clear fire (a hot-plate is better); keep stirring until the paste is dry, then take it out of the pan, put it between two dishes, and, when cold, make it into any shape that fancy may dictate.

_Time_.

--1/2 hour.

_Average cost_, 2s.

for the above quantity.

_Sufficient_ for 3 small dishes of pastry.

_Seasonable_ at any time.

BITTER ALMONDS.

--The Bitter Almond is a variety of the common almond, and is injurious to animal life, on account of the great quantity of hydrocyanic acid it contains, and is consequently seldom used in domestic economy, unless it be to give flavour to confectionery; and even then it should he used with great caution.

A single drop of the essential oil of bitter almonds is sufficient to destroy a bird, and four drops have caused the death of a middle-sized dog.

BAKED ALMOND PUDDING.

(_Very rich_.

) 1221. INGREDIENTS.

--1/4 lb.

of almonds, 4 bitter ditto, 1 glass of sherry, 4 eggs, the rind and juice of 1/2 lemon, 3 oz.

of butter, 1 pint of cream, 2 tablespoonfuls of sugar.

_Mode_.

--Blanch and pound the almonds to a smooth paste with the water;

mix these with the butter, which should be melted; beat up the eggs, grate the lemon-rind, and strain the juice; add these, with the cream, sugar, and wine, to the other ingredients, and stir them well together.

When well mixed, put it into a pie-dish lined with puff-paste, and bake for 1/2 hour.

_Time_.

--1/2 hour.