PLAIN PASTRY.
Four cups of sifted flour, one cup of butter, a pinch of salt, three heaping teaspoonfuls of granulated sugar, two tablespoonfuls of lemon juice, four tablespoonfuls of ice water and the yolks of two eggs. This quantity will make two pies. Rub the butter, flour, salt and sugar together thoroughly, then add the yolks of eggs, lemon juice and water and work all together into a paste. Put the dough on a pastry board, divide in four equal parts, roll each part the size required for the pie plates.
PUFF PASTE.
One pound of flour, one pound of butter and one cup of ice water. Sift the flour, weigh it and turn into a mixing bowl; pour the water gradually into it, stirring constantly with a spoon; turn the dough out on the pastry board and beat or knead it until it blisters and is so elastic that it can be stretched without tearing. Then set it away on ice. Wash the butter, squeeze out the salt and water and lay it on a plate on ice. Roll the dough as nearly square as possible, lay the butter in the center of it, fold over one side of the paste, then the other, flatten slightly with the rolling pin, fold over the ends of the dough until they meet; turn the dough over and roll twice, fold again and put the paste on the ice; let it remain for twenty minutes. Repeat this twice, allowing the pastry to rest twenty minutes each time. This makes in all six rolls and three times of rolling. Press very lightly with the rolling pin, cut off each time what is needed for a pie or number of patties, that the dough will not be worked over more than is necessary. The trimmings may be used for cheese straws by cutting and sprinkling them with grated Parmesan cheese and a dash of cayenne pepper; or may be baked in crescents for garnishing. In baking, rinse the pans with cold water and brush the pastry over with beaten egg. Make the pastry in a cool room.
TO MAKE ONE SQUASH OR PUMPKIN PIE.
One cup of squash, one egg mixed unbeaten with the squash, a cup and a half of sugar, one milk cracker rolled fine, half a teaspoonful each of ginger, cinnamon and nutmeg, a pinch of salt and a dash of cayenne pepper. After these are well mixed, add half a cup of milk. Bake in either puff or plain paste.
SWEET RISSOLES.
Roll out some puff paste into a thin sheet, cut as many rounds with a large patty cutter as are needed; put a spoonful of any kind of jam, strawberry, raspberry, currant, etc., or mince meat or purÉe of apples on each, moisten the edges of the pastry with water, fold one-half over the other, making them into half moons, brush with beaten egg and bake in a quick oven. They may be varied by sifting coarse sugar and nuts over them before baking.
RICHMOND MAIDS OF HONOR.
Half a pound of dry curd, commonly called cottage or pot cheese, six ounces of butter, four eggs, a glass of brandy, six ounces of sugar, one white potato, one ounce of sweet almonds chopped fine and a few drops of almond extract, the juice of one and the grated rind of two lemons, and a little nutmeg. Mix the curds and butter together, beat sugar and eggs to a cream, add the potato mashed smooth and fine, the almonds, the grated rind and juice of lemon and the nutmeg; beat well and add to the curds and butter, mix thoroughly and bake in tartlet pans or pie plates lined with puff paste.
CHEESE CAKES.
Put a pint of milk on to boil, beat four eggs light and stir into the milk; when it is a thick curd remove from the fire and when cool mash it very fine, add to it four ounces of breadcrumbs. Beat to a cream half a pound of butter and half a pound of sugar, add the curds and bread; beat four eggs until very thick and light and pour them into this mixture; then add gradually one tablespoonful of sherry and one of brandy and one of rose-water, and a teaspoonful of cinnamon, and lastly a quarter of a pound of currants well washed. Line either pie plates or shallow cake pans with puff paste, pour in the mixture and bake in a quick oven. They should be served cold and eaten the day they are baked.
COCOANUT PIE (a Southern Recipe).
One cup of freshly-grated cocoanut, one cup of sugar, three eggs, half a lemon, juice and grated rind, one-half cup of cream, one-half cup of butter and one-half cup of cocoanut milk. Beat butter and sugar to a cream, add other ingredients, the yolks of eggs beaten very light with the cream, the lemon juice and rind and lastly the whites of eggs beaten to a stiff froth. Line a dish with puff paste, pour the mixture in and bake in a moderate oven three-quarters of an hour.
LEMON PIE (a Southern Recipe).
The yolks of four eggs beaten to a cream with one cup of granulated sugar and the grated rind of one lemon. Peel the lemon, removing every particle of white skin, cut into thin slices; have a pie plate lined with puff paste, arrange the slices of lemon on the paste, add enough milk to the eggs and sugar to fill the plate, pour it in, and bake until set. Beat the whites of eggs to a stiff froth, and stir in two large heaping tablespoonfuls of sugar, put on top of the pie and bake a light brown.
MINCE MEAT.
One pound of granulated sugar, one pound of raisins, one pound of currants, half a pound of citron, half a dozen lemons, grated rind and juice, the pulp of eight oranges, the grated rind of three, half a pound of almonds blanched and chopped, three pounds of greenings, after they are pared, cored and chopped fine, three heaping teaspoonfuls of powdered cinnamon, an even teaspoonful of allspice, a quarter of a teaspoonful of cloves, an even teaspoonful of salt, three-quarters of a pound of butter melted, a cup and a half of sherry and a cup of brandy. Seed the raisins and soak them with the currants in just water enough to cover, stew until tender, and add when cold with the water to the other ingredients. Mix thoroughly, stirring in the melted butter at the last. Let it stand for several days. The brandy and wine may be omitted and more lemons and oranges used to flavor it. At each baking it is well to add a little sugar and chopped apple. This will keep all winter or longer in a cool place, if the brandy and wine are not omitted.
