Shaping a Vol-au-Vent

Appears in

Published 1989

About

A vol-au-vent or “puff of wind” is a deep round container of puff pastry measuring 6-8 in/15-20 cm in diameter. It is usually filled with savory shellfish, poultry or meat mixtures in a cream sauce.

Roll the dough to ¼ in/6 mm thickness. Cut a circle, using a vol-au-vent cutter or pan lid.
Using a smaller cutter or lid cut a concentric circle to make a ring about 1 in/2.5 cm wide.
Remove the ring by folding one half over the other and set aside. Roll the remaining pastry to the same diameter as the ring then trim it.
Set the round on a damp baking sheet, brush with egg glaze and prick the center so that it rises evenly. Set the ring on top of the round and press gently.
Scallop the sides of the dough to help it rise.
Glaze the ring. Mark it in a “V” pattern with the back of a knife.
Score the center in a lattice pattern. After baking, the center of the vol-au-vent will have risen to form a lid. Lift it off and scoop out the uncooked dough from under the lid and inside the case. Dry out the vol-au-vent case for a few minutes in a low oven.