Make a pound of puff paste crust, after rolling it the seventh time; let it stand half an hour, then roll again half an inch in thickness, and cut out an oval shape of any size you wish; lay it in the pan or tin you will bake it on, then roll out and cut three more shapes the same size and thickness as the first, cut the centre from each piece, leaving an edge of half an inch, wet the bottom crust, which is the first you cut, and lay one of the rings on it, then wet the ring and lay on it another, and the same with the third; bake in a quick oven, and cover with thick paper when a light brown; be careful not to remove it from the oven until entirely done or the crust will fall; for the lid, roll out an oval the same as the first, and bake on a separate tin; from the trimmings of the crust, cut out five or six leaves, arrange them in the form of a flower or star on a pie-dish, bake, and lay on the lid when it is baked. If this is used for fruit, it must be cold; if for oysters or game, it is to be served hot, and may be baked the day before it is wanted and warmed again in the oven

Vol-Au-Vent, No. 2

Have ready very fine puff paste, roll it out the third of an inch in thickness, cut it in shapes, either oval, round or square, the first and largest cake to be left whole; from the centre of all the others cut a round piece the size of a small muffin-ring, and diminish the size of the cakes until you have the top one a size larger than the hole cut from the centre; this one must also be left whole. Bake each one separately on flat tins in a quick oven. When all are baked, take them carefully from the tins, brush each one over with the beaten white of egg, lay them on each other to form a pyramid, fill the centre with stewed oysters or game, stewed with cream gravy; put on the lid, which may be ornamented with a flower of baked paste, and serve. Or for a dessert, fill the vol-au-vent with ripe strawberries sprinkled thickly with sugar or any small preserved fruit.

Stewed Apple For Vol-Au-Vent

Pare, core and quarter ten pippins or other tart apples; make a syrup of a pound of sifted sugar and a pint of water; boil and skim it, lay the apples in it a few pieces at a time, and boil them until clear; take them out with a perforated skimmer as they are done, and lay them in a deep dish; put in more apples and proceed as before until all are done; slice a lemon and add to the syrup, also a glass of wine; boil until a rich syrup, pour over the apples, and set them away to cool. When perfectly cold, fill the crust with the apples, put on the lid, and dust powdered sugar over it. This should not be done until just before dinner, if wanted for dessert.