Vol Au Vents Recipes

VOL AU VENT FILLING RECIPE

Steps:

• In a bowl, combine the grated potatoes, butter, crushed pepper, salt, corn & chopped spring onion. Add the cheese spread and mix well
• Add the chili flakes as per taste and dried oregano as well. Mix well
• Fill the mixture in a nozzle bag. Pipe the mixture into the Vol-au-vents (pastry puffs) and garnish with corn and spring onion. Enjoy !!

VOL AU VENT CASES

Steps:

• For this Vol au Vent Cases recipe, start rolling out the puff pastry. Although puff pastry is quite technical, I invite you to follow my easy, step-by-step recipe for a home-made flaky pastry. You won't be disappointed! For best results, I recommend using extra dry butter.
• Roll the puff pastry to a thickness of 4 or 5mm. Using an Exoglass round pastry cutter Ø 10cm (I used a fluted cutter for this recipe), cut the pastry into discs...
• ... and slightly twist the cutter on your floured worktop to make sure the disc is cut in a perfectly neat shape. The pastry disc will detach easily from the puff pastry slab.
• Cut as many discs as you need. 500 grams of puff pastry yields 12 discs of Ø 10cm, for a total of 6 bouchées.
• Arrange 6 pastry discs on a Silpat baking mat, placed on top of a Silichef XL perforated baking sheet.
• Using a pastry brush, glaze the discs with eggwash (a beaten egg yolk with a little water).
• With the 6 other pastry discs on your floured worktop, cut a hole in the centre with a smaller pastry cutter. I used an Exoglass round fluted cutter with a diameter of 6cm.
• Repeat the operation for all discs. You should now have 6 pastry rings.
• Carefully arrange the rings on top of the pastry discs. The rings will adhere to the glazed pastry discs easily.
• Glaze the pastry rings...
• ... and store in the fridge for about 2 hours before baking. Ideally, start the recipe the day before and refrigerate overnight to prevent the pastry from shrinking during baking.
• Remove from the fridge and apply another brush of eggwash along the rings.
• Place small dariole moulds (height 5 or 6cm) in the four corners of the baking sheet. This will help control the rise of the puff pastry shells while baking...
• ... and place a baking sheet on top of the dariole moulds. I recommend using a heavy baking sheet, such as black steel. An aluminium baking sheet might not be heavy enough.
• Bake in a fan-assisted oven at 170°C (gas 3) for 20 to 25 minutes.
• 20 minutes later, the pastry cases should have risen to a regular height. Remove the baking sheet on top.
• Bake for a further 5 or 10 minutes. At this stage, there is no more risk of the pastry cases collapsing. Make sure the base of the pastry shells is well cooked. Gently lift the vol au vent cases to check.
• When cooked, remove from the oven...
• ... then place the tray on your kitchen worktop and leave to cool.
• Your home-made vol au vent cases are now ready to be filled with the filling of your choice (chicken and mushroom sauce for traditional bouchées à la reine or seafood sauce).

PARTY VOL-AU-VENTS

Steps:

• Heat oven to 200C/180C fan/gas 6. Line a large baking tray with baking parchment. Roll out the pastry on a lightly floured surface and cut into 30 x 6cm squares, trimming any edges. Score a smaller square inside each one, leaving a 7.5mm border, taking care not to cut the pastry all the way through.
• Put the squares on the tray, lightly brush with egg glaze and bake for 15 mins until puffed up and golden brown. Transfer to a wire rack to cool. When cool, carefully remove and discard the central piece of pastry from each one. To serve, fill with the fillings (see 'goes well with'). The vol-au-vent cases can be kept in an airtight container for up to a day before filling and serving.

CHICKEN VOL-AU-VENTS

Steps:

• Pre-heat oven at 180oc.
• Saute garlic, spring onions, tarragon and seasoings in the butter for 2 minutes.
• Reduce heat, add sliced chicken and cook until tender, about 5 minutes.
• Add wine and cream and bring to the boil.
• Combine cornflour with water, then add to the chicken and stir until thickened.
• Spoon into the vol-au-vent cases
• Heat in the oven for 5 mintes.
• Serve it hot.

CREAMY CHICKEN VOL-AU-VENT

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 400°. On a lightly floured surface, unfold 1 puff pastry sheet. Using a 3-1/4-in. round cutter, cut out six circles. Place on a parchment-lined baking sheet., Unfold the remaining pastry sheet. Cut 6 more circles out with the 3-1/4-in. round cutter; with a 2-1/2-in. cutter, cut centers out of the circles. Place the rings on top of the circles that are on the baking sheet. Place the center circles also on the baking sheet. In a small bowl, whisk egg and water; brush over pastries. Chill 15 minutes. Bake until dark golden brown, 20-25 minutes. Cool on a wire rack., Meanwhile, in a large skillet, cook bacon over medium heat until crisp. Remove to paper towels to drain. Discard all but 1 tablespoon drippings. Add leeks and pepper to drippings; cook and stir over medium-high heat until tender, 5-7 minutes. Reduce heat to low; stir in bacon, chicken, cream cheese, salt and pepper. Cook and stir until blended; remove from heat., When cool enough to handle, hollow out pastries with a small knife. Fill with chicken mixture. Sprinkle with parsley and pepper. Serve with small center pastries on the side.

VOL-AU-VENT

Steps:

• Lightly flour a clean work surface. Using a rolling pin, gently roll out dough until it is about 1/4 inch thick. Using a 4-inch vol-au-vent cutter, cut out 4 rounds. If using a 3 1/2-inch cookie cutter, cut out 8 rounds; cut out centers from half the rounds with a 2 1/2-inch round cookie cutter to form rings.
• In a small bowl, whisk together egg yolk and cream. Using a pastry brush, moisten top of each vol-au-vent with egg wash, being careful not to let any drip down over the cut edges. (Or moisten each ring and round with egg wash; lay one ring on top of each round, lining up outside edges.) Place vol-au-vents on an ungreased baking sheet. Cover with plastic wrap; place in refrigerator 1 hour.
• Preheat oven to 425 degrees. Bake until vol-au-vents are puffed and golden on the outside, about 12 minutes. Reduce heat to 350 degrees; continue baking 10 to 12 minutes to let insides cook through.
• Transfer vol-au-vents to a wire rack. While still warm, cut out center of tops with a paring knife; set aside. Remove and discard inside dough, and let shells cool completely. Spoon or pipe in desired filling. Replace tops, and serve.

VOL-AU-VENT

Steps:

• First, prepare the puff pastry. Sieve the flour and put it on a board making a well in the middle. Into the center of this circle put salt and water - the exact amount of water may vary depending on the type of flour. Mix and knead until the dough is smooth and elastic. Form into a ball and let it stand for 25 minutes.
• Roll out the dough evenly into a sheet measuring 20 x 20 cm (8" x 8"). Put the kneaded butter in the middle and fold the ends of the dough over the butter to enclose it completely. Leave it to stand for 10 minutes in a cool place.
• The next step is called tourage - giving turns to the dough. Flour the board lightly and roll the dough with a rolling pin to obtain a rectangle 60 cm (24") long, 20 cm (8") wide, and 1.5 cm (5/8") thick. Refold the strip in three and roll the folded dough in the opposite direction.
• Give 4 more turns to the dough, leaving it to stand for 10 minutes between each turn. After having been given the 6 prescribed turns, the puff pastry is ready to use.
• Roll the pastry to a thickness of 5 mm (1/5"). Cut the first piece in a circle 15 cm (6") in diameter and place it on a baking sheet which has been brushed with water. Cut the second piece into a circle and remove a round from the middle so it resembles a ring with the interior diameter of 11 cm () and the exterior diameter of 16 cm (). Brush the first piece with water and place the second piece on top. Press lightly to fix and leave for 10 minutes
• Brush the top with a beaten egg. Cut a circle on the central part which will be used as a lid after baking. Bake in a hot oven (180°C/350°F) for 20 to 25 minutes. Detach the lid afterward and leave to cool.
• Next, prepare the sauce financière. Put the shredded ham, mignonette, thyme, bay leaf, mushroom and truffle trimmings and 2 glasses of Madeira in a saucepan. Boil down over low heat and add the consommé. Boil down in half, strain, put back on the heat and mix in ½ glass Madeira. Finally, boil down in a bain-marie.
• Assemble the vol-au-vent by filling them with tepid sauce financière and covering them with a lid. Serve immediately.

VOL AU VENTS

Steps:

• Put the stock and bay leaf in a saucepan. Bring to a boil, and turn off the heat.
• Melt the butter in a saute pan and fry the onions for 2 minutes. Add the mushrooms and cook until shrunken, dark and golden. Add the garlic and cook for 1 minute. Sprinkle over the flour and cook, stirring, for 1 minute. Add the wine and cook until it disappears. Pour over the stock, add the chicken and cook, stirring, until the sauce thickens, about 3 minutes. Stir in the creme fraiche and mustard. Season with salt and pepper. Stir in the parsley.
• Spoon the chicken mixture into the vol au vent shells and serve.