Cupid's Wells

Cut the rounds of puff paste of three or four different sizes; use the largest one for the bottom, and cut the centres from the others, leaving the rims of different widths, and put them on the whole round, with the narrowest at the top. Bake, and fill with jelly.

Vol-au-vent

This is made from the lightest form of puff paste, cut to any size and shape desired, a large oval being generally preferred. Mark the outline with an oval mould or pan, and cut quickly with a knife dipped in hot water. Put on two or three rims, wetting the edge of each with white of egg. Make an oval hoop of stiff paper, two inches high, and slightly larger than the vol-au-vent, and place around it to prevent scorching. Bake a large vol-au-vent nearly an hour.

Cakes A La Polonaise

Ro "puff paste very thin, cut into pieces three inches square, wet the centre, turn each corner over, press the point down in the centre, and put a very small round of paste on the centre. Bake, and when cool put dots of jelly on each corner.

Bow-Knots

Cut thin puff paste into half-inch strips, and shape them on the baking-pan into the form of a double bow-knot. When baked, put jelly on each loop of the bow.

Fig. 42. Bow-Knots.

Rissoles

Roll the scraps of puff paste thin, and cut into rounds. Put a spoonful of whatever material is to be used in the centre of half of the number, wet the edges, and cover with the remaining rounds, first cutting a cross in the middle, or stamping out a small piece with a vegetable cutter or pastry tube. Any kind of cold meat may be cut fine, seasoned to taste, moistened with a white sauce, and used in the rissoles. Or they may be filled with stewed and sweetened fruit, or mince meat prepared as for pies. They may be cut into larger rounds, the filling placed on one half, and the edges folded together like turnovers. Bake in a hot oven.

Plaits

Roll very cold puff paste thin, and cut into half-inch strips. Braid them together, and bake quickly.

Cheese Straws

Roll scraps of puff paste thin, sprinkle with grated cheese, and cayenne pepper if you like, fold, roll out, and sprinkle again, and repeat the process. Then place on the ice to harden. When cold, roll into rectangular shape one eighth of an inch thick; place it on a baking-pan, and with a pastry cutter dipped in hot water, cut into strips four or five inches long and less than a quarter of an inch wide. Bake, and serve piled cob-house fashion. Sometimes, when the paste is very hard, they are cut as narrow as possible, laid on the pan in groups of five or six, with one straw laid over the middle to represent a bundle of straws, and baked in that form.

Fig. 43. Cheese Straws.