VOL AU VENT OR BOUCHEE A LA REINE CASE
Ingredient :
1 Puff pastry (home made or bought frozen from ze shop)
1 Egg yolk
Method :
I recommend, if using an already frozen puff pastry to cut the pastry while still a little bit frozen,
otherwise the pastry is too soft and the crown’s cut can’t keep the right shape to fit perfectly on the first disc.
If using home made pastry, please, once the pastry is flat, keep it in the fridge for a while until it is well firm.
Why do I always have to put the puff pastry upside down on the baking sheet?
When you cut the shape with a pastry cutter, you slightly crush the edge of the pastry on the surface and it is on the bottom that the cut will be neat. It is therefore this side that needs to be repositioned so that the puff pastry can rise as straight as possible.
In order to limit the development to the right height and to obtain regular vol au vent, a grid is placed about 4 cm above the puff pastry during baking.
Why put a grid on the puff pastry during baking?
Sometimes the puff pastry develops so much that at the end of the baking process the shape (floret, bite-sized piece or other) is not even recognisable. To remedy this, place a grid on supports above the baking tray at the desired height. The development will be stopped by the grid.
Bites, croustades, puff pastries... let's remember that the "bite" as its name indicates is small since it must be eaten in one bite! The vol-au-vent, on the other hand, is a little larger.
Ingredient :
1 Puff pastry (home made or bought frozen from ze shop)
1 Egg yolk
Method :
I recommend, if using an already frozen puff pastry to cut the pastry while still a little bit frozen,
otherwise the pastry is too soft and the crown’s cut can’t keep the right shape to fit perfectly on the first disc.
If using home made pastry, please, once the pastry is flat, keep it in the fridge for a while until it is well firm.
- Using a cookie cutter, (approx. Ø 10 cm) cut out two equal discs from your puff pastry (rolled out to 3/4 mm). Each time you cut the dough, check that the disc has been cut out properly by sliding it lightly on the floured work surface. Cut out as many discs of dough as possible.
- Place the first disc upside down on the baking sheet and brush a little gold on the edge that will receive the crown or on the whole surface
- Hollow out the centre with a second fluted cookie cutter of smaller diameter,( approx. Ø 6 cm), from the secondary discs to obtain a crown.
- Place this crown upside down on the first disc, apply the gilding and cut out the centre to limit the development.
- Be careful not to pinch the 2 discs, the case won’t increase elegantly, as well don’t put to much egg yolk on the pastry as it slows the development.
- Alternatively, mark the impression on the second disc without hollowing it out. The puff pastry rises straight up, it is "guided", and after baking it is sufficient to hollow out the centre which will also serve as a hat.
- In this case, there is no need to cut the surface or just make a light impression for the decoration as shown here
- Place the finished plate in a cool place or fridge for 2 hours before baking. This tray can be made up to this stage the day before and baked the day after, to avoid the dough shrinking during baking.
- Preheat the oven at 190 C
- Bake at 190°C for 15 to 20 minutes depending on the size.
- After 20 minutes all the vol au vent have risen well and the tray has held them in place to keep them even. At this stage of baking, the vol au vent are almost done, remove the tray from the top.
- To check the cooking of the vol au vent, the bottom must be cooked. When the vol au vent are done, remove the baking tray from the oven and place them on the work surface to cool.You will have home-made vol au vent that you can garnish with the preparation of your choice .
Why do I always have to put the puff pastry upside down on the baking sheet?
When you cut the shape with a pastry cutter, you slightly crush the edge of the pastry on the surface and it is on the bottom that the cut will be neat. It is therefore this side that needs to be repositioned so that the puff pastry can rise as straight as possible.
In order to limit the development to the right height and to obtain regular vol au vent, a grid is placed about 4 cm above the puff pastry during baking.
Why put a grid on the puff pastry during baking?
Sometimes the puff pastry develops so much that at the end of the baking process the shape (floret, bite-sized piece or other) is not even recognisable. To remedy this, place a grid on supports above the baking tray at the desired height. The development will be stopped by the grid.
Bites, croustades, puff pastries... let's remember that the "bite" as its name indicates is small since it must be eaten in one bite! The vol-au-vent, on the other hand, is a little larger.