Vol-au-vent cutter

A special cutter used to cut out puff pastry circles for vol-au-vents (puff pastry shells). This cutter allows you to score a ring just inside the perimeter of the dough at the same time that you cut out the dough circle. The tool consists of a small round cutter that is attached inside a larger cutter, with the smaller ring positioned slightly higher. As you press down on the dough, the larger ring cuts out the round base and the smaller ring presses halfway into the dough to score the ring that will define the sides of the vol-au-vent. The cutters come in sizes of approximately 1½ to 4 inches (3.7 to 10 cm) in diameter (measuring the ring that does the cutting); the smaller sizes are suitable for making bouchées as well. One style of cutter is made from two of these cutters soldered side by side so you can cut out two circles and mark two rings in one quick movement.