In making pastry, the colder the hands of the maker, the water and the room, the better. A marble slab is the best thing on which to make it: otherwise a hard board which is kept for pastry only should be used.
Use iced water for mixing, when possible. Pastry will be flakier if set on ice before it is finally rolled out for use. The flour used should be very dry and should be sifted with a little salt. Use the best flour only and fresh butter, or half butter, half lard.
Use as little water as possible.
Never knead pastry.
Use the hands as little as possible. Mix with a knife unless otherwise specified.
Bake in a moderate or quick oven.
Baking powder, in the proportion of one tea-spoon to each quart of flour, may be added when eggs are not used. The baking powder should be sifted twice with the flour before mixing.
It is better to bake pastry separately from the fruit when possible. It will thus be much crisper. To do this fill the dish which is to be used with stiff crumpled paper, over which a smooth and well-buttered piece should be laid. Cover with the pastry and bake. Remove the pastry and fill the dish with well-sweetened stewed fruit. Moisten the edges of the dish with white of egg and replace the crust.
In making open tarts and tartlets, when the tin is lined with pastry it can be filled with rice and baked. This is in order to keep the crust crisp. The rice must be taken out and the fruit or jam put in its place just before serving.
12 ozs. flour
3 ozs. butter
3 ozs. lard
Salt
Cut up the lard and butter, very finely, in the flour. With a knife, mix with a little water. Roll and fold up three or four times.
1 lb. flour
¹⁄₂ lb. butter
Cold water
Rub the butter into the flour. Add cold water gradually to make a stiff paste, mixing with a knife. Roll out quickly.
(For Tarts)
4 ozs. butter
2 ozs. lard
10 ozs. flour
Beat the butter to a cream. Rub butter and lard very carefully into the flour, adding a little salt. Mix with as little water as possible.
1 lb. fresh butter
1 lb. dry sifted flour
Salt
Work the flour well with a little water into a still dough. Flour the pastry board slightly. Roll out the dough until one inch thick. Flatten the butter and put in the centre of the dough. Fold the edges up over the butter and roll out very lightly five times, always rolling outwards, and using as little flour as possible on the board. The butter must on no account be allowed to work through the paste. Set aside in a cold place, or on ice, for at least an hour. When making tarts, &c., cut off a piece at a time, instead of using the whole quantity, and roll out very lightly. Bake in a rather hot oven. This is a simple and excellent receipt.
10 ozs. flour
8 ozs. butter
Juice of a lemon
Rub two ounces of the butter into the flour. Mix with the lemon juice and a little water. Divide the rest of the butter into three parts. Roll out the paste half an inch thick. Cut one lot of butter into small pieces and dab them on the paste. Fold it over three times lengthwise, and then three times the other way. Roll out again. Repeat the process twice, when the butter will be used up.
This receipt may be made with baking powder (see General Directions).
(For Tartlets)
1 lb. flour
³⁄₄ lb. butter
2 table-spoons powdered sugar
Yolks of 3 eggs
Water
Salt
Rub the butter into the flour and sugar. Beat the yolks with a little water. Stir into the flour with a knife until smooth.
(For Open Tarts and Tartlets)
1 lb. flour
¹⁄₄ lb. sugar
6 yolks
Milk
Sift the flour and sugar together. Stir in the eggs with a knife. Make into a stiff paste with some milk (about 1 gill).