Homemade Vol Au Vent Recipes

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.

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.

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.

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.

Steps:

• Pat the oysters dry with paper towels and set aside.
• Prepare béchamel sauce by combining the milk, bay leaf, onion, peppercorns and celery in a small, heavy-based saucepan, over a medium heat until bubbles form around the edge of the saucepan. Remove from the heat and stand at room temperature for 15 minutes to cool. Strain and reserve the milk.
• Melt the butter in a small saucepan until hot and bubbling. Add the flour and stir constantly for 1 minute. Remove from the heat and gradually add the milk, whisking constantly to avoid the sauce from becoming lumpy.
• Return the saucepan to the heat and cook the sauce, stirring constantly on a medium-high heat until it comes to the boil and thickens. Season to taste with salt, pepper and nutmeg.
• Preheat the oven to 200ºC.
• Spoon 1 teaspoon of béchamel sauce into the base of each vol-au-vent case, top with an oyster and spoon over a little extra béchamel sauce.
• Bake in the oven for 8-10 minutes, or until the pastry is crisp and hot. Just before serving, sprinkle with chopped chives.
• Note: These vol-au-vents can be prepared a few hours in advance and put in the oven just before they are required.

Steps:

• Thaw out the sheet of pastry enough to handle it. Using a large cookie cutter, make 6 circles. Reuse the leftover pastry to make 2 more large circles. Using a smaller cookie cutter, place in the center of 4 large circle to make smaller circles with.
• In a small bowl, combine egg and milk for an egg wash.
• Place 4 large circles on a baking sheet lined with silicone mat and brush with the egg wash. Place the other large circles with the smaller one in the middle on top of the other 4 sitting on the baking sheet. Brush with egg wash as well.
• Transfer to a 400ºF preheated oven and bake until nice and brown, about 15 to 20 minutes. Remove and continue with your recipe.