Fine Puff Paste

Use a pound or a quart of superfine flour for each pound of butter.

Sift the flour into a deep pan, and sift additional flour onto a plate for sprinkling and rolling.

Wash the butter in two cold waters, squeezing out all salt and milk, then shape it into a round lump and refrigerate until ready.

Divide the butter into four equal parts.

Cut one quarter of butter into pieces and add to the flour pan; divide the remaining three quarters into six pieces, cutting each quarter in half.

Mix the flour and butter in the pan with a knife, adding small amounts of cold water until a stiff dough forms.

Sprinkle flour on a pasteboard; lift the dough from the pan with a knife; lay it on the board; flour the rolling pin; roll the dough into a large thin sheet.

Spread one of the six butter pieces, divided into small bits, over the sheet at equal distances.

Fold the sheet, flour it, roll it out again, and add another butter portion.

Repeat folding, rolling, and adding butter until all butter is incorporated.

Fold once more, lay the dough on a plate, and refrigerate until ready.

Divide the dough into the desired number of sheets; roll each sheet; place into buttered plates or patty pans.

When rolling, always roll from your side.

Notch the edges of the paste before baking, using a sharp penknife and dipping in flour as needed.

Make the notches small, even, and regular.

Avoid imperfect notches, as they cannot be mended.

One neat method is to fold over one corner of each notch.

Alternatively, arrange notches to stand upright and lie flat alternately around the edge.

Use tin cutters to form the edge into leaves.

Bake the paste in a moderate oven quickly; do not allow air into it while baking.

Eat the pastry the day it is baked.