Paste for crackling crust is a traditional British recipe, based on Hannah Glasse's recipe of 1747, for a classic, if rather unusual pastry made from pounded almonds and orange-flour water bound with an egg white that's air dried to thickened before being rolled as a pie crust, with the trimmings baked as decorations. The full recipe is presented here and I hope you enjoy this classic British version of: Paste for crackling crust.
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This is a traditional British recipe redacted from Hannah Glasse's 1747 volume The Aft of Cookery Made Plain and Easy, the classic Georgian cookbook.
Paſte for crackling cruſt.
BLANCH four handfuls of almonds, and throw them into water, then dry them in cloth, and pound them in a mortar very fine, with a little orange-flour water, and the white of an egg. When they are well pounded, paſs them through a coarſe hair-ſieve, to clear them from all the lumps or clods ; then ſpread it on a diſh till it is very pliable ; let it ſtand for a while, then roll out a piece for the under-cruſt, and dry it in the oven on the pie-pan, while other paſtry works are making ; as knots, cyphers, &c. for garnishing your pies.
Modern Redaction
Ingredients:
250g blanched almonds
2 tbsp orange-flower water
1 egg white
Method:
Pound the almonds in a mortar, working a little of the orange-flower water in every now and then as you do so, to prevent the almonds from turning to an oil. Continue pounding until the almonds are a very fie paste, then work in the egg white until completely incorporated.
Turn the mixture into a fine-meshed sieve and press through with the back of a spoon into a large dish. Spread the mixture out on a dish and allow to air-dry until it thickens and becomes pliable.
Dust a work surface with icing sugar, turn out the almond paste and roll out until large enough to cover your pie dish. Line the dish and trim off any excess. Prick the base of the pastry and place it in an oven pre-heated to 140°C for about 35 minutes to dry.
Remove from the oven at this point and prepare your filling (a custard or curd is very good). As you make the filling take the pastry trimmings, shape into knots, animals, flowers, leaves etc and bake in the oven to use as a garnish later.
