No. 1375 — Half-Puff Yeast Dough with Veal Kidney Fat
English historical translation of Molokhovets recipe No. 1375 from the 1901 Russian cookbook, retaining original methods and measures.
Rinse ½ Russian pound of veal kidney fat, cut small and melt in the oven. Every ten to fifteen minutes pour the rendered fat into a pot until only cracklings remain.
Let cool slightly. Eight hours before serving mix two zolotnik of yeast with 1¼ glasses of milk.
Five hours before serving make dough from that milk and about 1½ pounds of flour. Add two yolks beaten with a teaspoon of sugar, one spoonful of butter, 1½ teaspoons of salt and ⅛ pound of the rendered kidney fat.
Beat thoroughly, keeping dough firm enough to roll but not excessively stiff.
Two hours before serving, when risen, roll out, coat with rendered fat, fold in half then again into quarters.
Repeat rolling and quarter-folding twice more, coating with fat each time, and set in a cold place.
One hour before serving roll, dust with flour, fold in quarters, transfer to a baking sheet and open out. Add filling and seal.
Half an hour before serving brush with butter mixed with yolk and a teaspoon of water, then bake in a hot oven.
To provide
1½ glasses of milk and 1½–2 Russian pounds of flour 2–3 zolotnik of yeast ½ Russian pound of unrendered veal kidney fat | 1 spoonful of butter and 2 eggs 1 teaspoon of fine sugar 1½ teaspoons of salt |