How to make easy Vols au vent

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Vol au Vent, plural Vols au Vent (meaning flight in the wind, probably because the puff pastry is very light and airy)  is a baked shell of puff pastry, filled as with either chicken, game, or fish or seafood, such as prawns, in a cream sauce.

I spotted these Vols au vent at my friend Dharm’s site, shortly after Christmas. I had heard of vols au vent but never made them myself and thought they were something difficult to make.

These vols au vent will be filled and sent to Psychgrad, of  Equal Opportunity Kitchen, who is getting married soon and will choose some recipes from her Tried Tested and True 3:  Wedding Edition,  to cook for her guests.

Psychgrad, you won’t believe how easy they are.

Makes:  16 big one, 16 small ones, and about 6 -8 additional with leftovers

Ingredients:

All you need is 1 packet (2 sheets) of  puff pastry and not more than a tablespoon of olive oil.

To begin with, all you have to do is thaw the puff pastry but not completely, just enough to be able to cut it. I used two cookie cutters, one bigger than the other.

I lined a baking tin with parchment paper and cut as many circles from one sheet. I then brushed the edge of each circle with olive oil and started cutting the second sheet with the same cookie cutter.

I then used the smaller one and cut a  second circle (different shape) in the middle.

Preheat oven at 180 degrees C and bake for about 20 – 30 minutes until you get the right golden colour.

Remove from the oven and while they are still hot push the puffed pastry in the middle to make it hollow. Set aside until they cool down before filling.

Do not discard the cut puff pastry circles you have cut the second time but put them on a different tin lined with parchment paper.

When there is no more space to cut smaller circles,  knead all the bits and pieces together and roll the dough in between the two plastic sheets the puff pastry was on, into a rectangular shape about 1 cm thick.

Here’s what I did with it.  I sprinkled some sugar and cinnamon at all the surface.

I then rolled and I cut it into 1 cm slices.

Immediately by the time the first batched was baked I had these ready.

The smaller pieces baked quicker than the thicker pieces so I removed the small ones and continued baking the others until crispy and golden brown.

No puff pastry was wasted at all.

I made both a savory and a sweet filling and I will tell you all about it tomorrow.  In the meantime can you guess what I have made.

I am in Cyprus today and have programmed the post to be published whilst I am away and unfortunately your replies will appear only after I return from Cyprus unless I have access to the internet from my relatives’ computer, he,he,he,  shall see…

 

 

 

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