686. Half Puff Paste.—Put one pound of flour upon your pastry slab, 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.