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Puff Paste

By the French cook this is styled feuilletage, and is prepared as follows: Weigh out the flour, previously dried and shaken through a sieve, and use an equal amount of the best fresh butter. In the summer keep this butter on the ice till wanted; in winter knead it in a cloth to make it supple. Then spread the flour on the table or marble paste-slab; make a bay or well in the center. Into this put a little salt, and gradually pour in water whilst the flour is worked in by a circular motion of two fingers round and round the inside of the well until sufficient moisture has been added to work the remainder of the flour into a firm pliant dough. If this is well and correctly made it will not stick either to the table or to the hands. Cover the paste with a cloth, and let it stand a few minutes to settle, but first be quite sure that the paste is stiff, as it would be disadvantageous to work in more flour or water after the paste has settled. In ten or fifteen minutes the dough will be ready to work. Sprinkle the slab with flour by means of a dredger, which should contain very dry flour only, or the perforations in the lid will get stopped up, place the paste on this, and roll it out with a rolling-pin, which may be either plain or fitted with an axle and two handles, so that the hands remain quiet while working (either answers admirably). The one with the handles, which is sometimes preferred, permits the operator to bear heavily on the paste, but this is not always an advantage. Roll out the paste to a square not more than one-fourth of an inch thick. Roll out the butter also to a square shape, and lay it on the paste. Fold over the ends and then the sides in such a manner that the butter is entirely wrapped up. Roll this out with the pin, pushing the paste forward as well as the butter in its interior; continue rolling until it forms a long strip, not more than one-eighth or one-sixth inch in thickness, preserving the regularity of shape as much as possible. Next fold it over in three layers, and when thus folded give it another turn; this is called one turn. Roll it out once more the same way. Every time this process is repeated adds what is termed a turn to the paste; the very most required at any time for the lightest of French feuilletage being six turns; five are generally recognized as good enough for most purposes, and many pastry cooks will not exceed three. A very famous French cook advises that under all circumstances, whether in winter or summer, the paste should be set to cool for ten minutes between each two turns. The greatest care must be taken to prevent the butter from escaping from the paste. This happens if the paste is too soft, rolled out too thin, or not rolled out regularly to a flat; that is, if it remains thicker on one side than on the other. In summer it is very difficult to make a good paste without the help of ice or a cool cellar; but this inconvenience may be obviated by replacing the butter with beef suet. This suet must be previously well picked over, and then soaked in fresh water, well drained, and then pounded, and thus made into a fine smooth paste. Should it require to be made more supple it can be worked in the cloth, as prescribed for the butter. The plan of making puff paste, as practiced by the English professional cooks, differs from the French mode.

Take three pounds of well-dried, sifted flour and the same quantity of butter; rub a fourth of the butter till it is taken up in the flour, then mix with water, adding the juice of half a lemon. If salted butter be used, it must be washed in cold water so as to free it from salt. Let the paste be firm, for if it is made soft it will not be a success. When you have succeeded so far, roll out the paste on a slab to about one-third inch thick, and spread the remainder of the butter over it, which should not be too hard or too soft but spreadable. This done, fold over and roll out again; repeat this three times, then roll it up loosely, cover with a floured cloth, and put it in a cool place for two or three hours, or until wanted for use. You will understand from this that puff paste consists of a number of layers of butter and dough; these layers should be worked without breaking through into each other. You must, therefore, use your rolling pin very lightly, for if you use it too heavily you will perforate the paste, and the butter will run out in cooking. The trimmings of puff paste or pieces cut away should not be used again with the original mass, as the cut edges would allow the butter to overrun the layers, and spoil its flakiness. It is commonly used for making patties, pies, or decorating tartlets, etc., and is known to the pastry cook as second or patten paste. Of the varieties of puff paste, the following may be considered the more important: (I.) Sift two pounds of very dry flour, put it on the table, make a hollow in the center, throw in a little salt, and a little piece of two pounds of butter. In making this paste the same quantity each of butter and flour is used. Work the butter and flour together, and add the beaten yolks of three eggs, and sufficient water to make a paste of the consistency of the butter. If the paste is not of the right consistency the butter will break through when the paste is turned. When the dough has been lightly worked, mould it into a ball, which flatten quickly in the middle. Put the remainder of the two pounds of butter on the table, and work it with a little water to extract the buttermilk, then roll it in a cloth, and squeeze till all the moisture is out. Flatten the butter, put it in the paste, and fold the paste well over it. Sift a little flour over the table, and roll the paste out with a rolling-pin into a long strip. Double the paste in three, then roll it out again, sprinkling a little flour over to prevent its sticking. Sprinkle a baking-sheet with flour, double the paste in three folds, put it on a baking-sheet, and leave for a short time in a cool temperature. Roll the paste out again twice, proceeding as before; then let it rest again, and give it another two turns, which will make six in all, then roll it out to a long shape and fold it in two. It is then ready for use.