D'Artois of Apricot

Make one pound of puff-paste, and give it seven turns or foldings; then, take one-third of it, and after kneading this well together, roll it out to the size of a square baking-sheet measuring about fourteen inches by twelve, and lay the paste upon it; next spread a rather thick layer of apricot jam over the paste to within about an inch of the edges; then, roll out the remainder of the puff-paste to the size of the baking-sheet, and place it neatly over the surface of the apricot; fasten it round by pressing upon the edges with the thumb, and trim the edges by cutting away the superfluous paste from the sides with a knife.

The D'Artois must now be marked out in small oblong shapes with the back part of a knife; and after the whole surface has been egged over, score them very neatly, forming a kind of feather-pattern on each cake. Bake them of a bright, light-brown colour; and when they are done, shake some finely-sifted sugar over them out of the dredger; put them back again in the oven for a minute or two, to melt the sugar, and then pass the red-hot salamander over them to give to the pastry a bright glossy appearance. When the D'Artois have become sufficiently cold, cut them up, and serve them, dished up in several circular rows piled on a napkin.

Note.—This kind of pastry may also be garnished with Pethiviers cream, pastry custard, apple marmalade, or any other kind of preserve.