The Vol Au Vents Recipe is a classic French pastry that makes an impressive and delicious appetizer or light meal. They are versatile, elegant, and perfect for any occasion, whether it’s a holiday dinner, a casual gathering, or even a wedding. The beauty of vol au vents lies in their crispy, flaky puff pastry shells, which can be filled with a variety of savory or sweet fillings.
In this article, you’ll learn how to make vol au vents from scratch using fresh puff pastry dough. This step-by-step guide will walk you through the process of making the dough, shaping the pastry shells, and choosing the best fillings. Whether you are a seasoned chef or a home cook looking to impress your guests, this recipe will help you create perfectly baked vol au vents that everyone will love.
What Are Vol Au Vents?
Vol au vents are light, hollow pastry cases made from puff pastry. The name “vol au vent” translates to “flight in the wind,” which refers to how light and airy these pastries are when baked. Traditionally, they are served as appetizers filled with a rich, savory filling, such as a creamy chicken or mushroom mixture. However, they can also be made sweet by filling them with fruit, custard, or chocolate for dessert.
Why Make Vol Au Vents From Scratch?
While it may be tempting to buy pre-made puff pastry, making your own from scratch ensures the freshest, flakiest result. Store-bought puff pastry often lacks the delicate layers and buttery flavor of homemade dough. By taking the time to create your puff pastry from scratch, you can control the quality of ingredients and achieve the perfect texture for your vol au vents. Plus, homemade dough tends to rise higher and flake more beautifully than pre-packaged options.
Ingredients for Vol Au Vents Recipe
To make vol au vents, you will need the following ingredients:
Puff Pastry Dough
- 2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour: The base of the dough.
- 1 tsp salt: Enhances the flavor of the pastry.
- 1 1/4 cups unsalted butter, cold and cut into small cubes: The key to flaky layers.
- 1/2 cup cold water: To bring the dough together.
Filling Options
Here are a few delicious filling ideas for your vol au vents:
- Chicken & Mushroom Cream Sauce: A classic filling made with cooked chicken, sautéed mushrooms, cream, and herbs.
- Shrimp & Garlic Cream: Lightly sautéed shrimp in a creamy garlic sauce.
- Vegetable Medley: A vegetarian option using sautéed seasonal vegetables in a creamy béchamel sauce.
- Sweet Fillings: For a dessert version, try custard, berries, or chocolate mousse.
Step-by-Step Guide to Making Vol Au Vents
1. Preparing the Puff Pastry Dough
Making puff pastry dough from scratch requires a bit of patience, but the end result is well worth it. The key to a successful puff pastry is keeping the butter cold and creating multiple layers by folding the dough. Here’s how to do it:
Step 1: Mix the Dry Ingredients
In a large bowl, combine the flour and salt. Add the cold, cubed butter to the flour mixture and toss to coat. Using a pastry cutter or your hands, work the butter into the flour until it resembles coarse crumbs.
Step 2: Add Water and Form Dough
Slowly add cold water to the flour and butter mixture, a tablespoon at a time, mixing just until the dough comes together. Be careful not to overmix—this will prevent the dough from becoming tough.
Step 3: Roll and Fold
Roll the dough out into a rectangle. Fold the dough into thirds, like an envelope, and rotate it 90 degrees. Roll the dough out again, then fold it once more. Repeat this process 4-5 times, refrigerating the dough for 30 minutes between folds. This creates the signature layers that make puff pastry so light and flaky.
Step 4: Chill the Dough
After the final fold, wrap the dough in plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least one hour, or overnight for best results.
2. Shaping the Vol Au Vents
Once your puff pastry is ready, it’s time to shape your vol au vents. Follow these steps to create the perfect pastry shells:
Step 1: Roll Out the Dough
Preheat your oven to 400°F (200°C). On a lightly floured surface, roll out the dough to about 1/4 inch thickness.
Step 2: Cut Out Circles
Using a round cookie cutter (about 3 inches in diameter), cut out circles from the dough. For half of the circles, use a smaller round cutter to cut a hole in the center, creating rings.
Step 3: Assemble the Vol Au Vents
Place the whole circles on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper. Brush the edges lightly with water, then place the rings on top of the whole circles to form the vol au vent shell. This will create a well in the center where the filling will go.
Step 4: Bake the Pastry
Prick the center of each base with a fork to prevent it from puffing too much. Brush the tops with an egg wash (1 egg beaten with 1 tablespoon water) to give them a golden color. Bake in the preheated oven for 15-20 minutes, or until the vol au vents are golden brown and puffed up. Allow them to cool completely before filling.
3. Making the Filling
Now that your vol au vent shells are baked and ready, it’s time to prepare the filling. For a classic filling, try a chicken and mushroom cream sauce, or opt for shrimp in a garlic cream sauce. You can also experiment with other ingredients to create your own signature filling.
Step 1: Sauté the Garlic
In a medium saucepan, melt butter over medium heat. Add minced garlic and sauté for about 1 minute, until fragrant.
Step 2: Make a Roux
Add flour to the saucepan and stir until it forms a paste. Cook for about 1 minute, then slowly whisk in the chicken or vegetable stock. Stir until smooth.
Step 3: Add Cream and Fillings
Gradually add heavy cream, stirring constantly until the sauce thickens. Add your cooked chicken, mushrooms, shrimp, or vegetables to the sauce and season with salt, pepper, and herbs. Let it simmer for 5-7 minutes until fully heated through.
4. Filling and Serving
Carefully spoon the warm filling into the center of each vol au vent shell. Garnish with fresh herbs like parsley or thyme for an extra touch of elegance.
Vol au vents are best served immediately, while the puff pastry is still crisp and the filling is warm. They make a wonderful appetizer, or you can serve them as a light meal alongside a fresh salad or steamed vegetables.
Tips for the Best Vol Au Vents
1. Keep the Butter Cold
The key to making puff pastry is cold butter. It’s the layers of butter that create the flaky texture. If the butter gets too warm, it will melt into the dough and lose its ability to form layers. Make sure to chill the dough between folds and handle it as little as possible.
2. Prick the Dough
Pricking the base of your vol au vents helps prevent the dough from puffing up too much in the center, leaving more room for the filling.
3. Don’t Overfill
While it may be tempting to pack as much filling as possible into the vol au vents, be careful not to overfill them. The pastry is delicate, and too much filling can cause it to become soggy. A small amount of filling goes a long way.
Vol Au Vents Recipe Conclusion
Vol au vents are an impressive and versatile pastry that can be filled with endless flavor combinations. By making your own puff pastry dough, you’ll create a light, flaky shell that complements any filling you choose. Whether you serve them as a savory appetizer or a sweet dessert, vol au vents are sure to be a hit at any gathering.
So, what are you waiting for? Try this vol au vent recipe using fresh puff pastry dough and impress your friends and family with your culinary skills!
Vol Au Vents
Ingredients
- 1 Batch Puff Pastry
- 2 Tablespoons All-Purpose Flour
- 2 Eggs
- 2 Tablespoons Heavy Cream
Instructions
Prepare The Egg Wash
- Beat the eggs, then mix in the heavy cream. Set this aside to brush onto the pastry later.
Prepare The Pastry
- You will need to work with the puff pastry while it is chilled, as you work with it, if it starts to get sticky, then place it back in the refrigerator until it chills thoroughly again.
- Lay out the puff pastry and dust with flour.
- Roll it to 1/4" thick.
- Using a pastry brush, dust off any excess flour.
- Using a 4" pastry cutter, cut out the circles for the bottoms of the vol au vents.
- Place these circles on a baking sheets that has been covered with a piece of parchment paper. Mist the parchment paper a bit with water to prevent slipping.
- Using a 2 1/2" circle, cut a circle in the center almost all the way through the dough. You do not wish to go completely through the dough, try to leave at least 1/16" of uncut dough at the bottom.
- Brush the circles with a bit of the egg wash, being careful not to let any egg wash flow over the sides.
- Place the dough in the refrigerator to chill for 30 minutes.
- Brush another layer of egg wash over the dough, then place in the freezer until frozen thoroughly.
- Preheat your oven to 325 degrees F
- Place 2 metal rings that are 1 1/2 " tall in the middle of your baking pan, and place a wire baking rack on top of these rings. The wire rack will help ensure that your vol au vents raise with a straight top.
- Bake for 35 to 45 minutes until the vol au vents are golden brown on the tops.
- Remove from the oven and allow to cool completely.
- Once cool, cut out the centers of the vol au vents, and use these shells to hold whichever filling you desire.
