Shaping Bouchees

Small puff pastries or bouchées (“mouthfuls”) may be cocktail-sized, or larger (3 in/7.5 cm) as a main course. They are filled like vol-au-vents with a filling that should be highly seasoned.

1. Roll the dough to ⅛ in/3 mm thickness and stamp out rounds with a pastry cutter. (Bouchées will shrink in the oven.)

   

2. With a smaller pastry cutter, stamp a circle in the centers of half the rounds so that there are an equal number of rounds and rings. Small circles are used as trimmings.

   

3. Transfer the rounds to a damp baking sheet and brush with egg glaze. Set the rings on the rounds and gently press the rings so they stick. Scallop the sides. Brush the tops with egg glaze and mark them in a lattice.

   

4. After baking, the centers of the bouchées will have risen to form lids. Remove them and scoop out any uncooked dough.