If you’re wondering how to prepare vol-au-vent with ready-made puff pastry, you’re in the right place! Follow this step-by-step recipe for a sure and perfect result.
These small savory puff pastry cases are a staple in my family memories. Grandma Benedetta used to make a quick filling with vegetables. Her favorite recipe was a cream of zucchini and carrots, seasoned with a bit of soft cheese and some mild spices, like nutmeg. After filling the homemade vol-au-vent, she would put them in the oven for a few minutes, just enough to warm them up and add extra golden color.
Vol-au-vent are delightful small baskets, ideal for both savory and sweet versions. Perfect stars of appetizers, aperitifs, or buffets, they add an elegant touch to any occasion.
RECIPES with puff pastry
- Difficulty: Easy
- Cost: Economical
- Preparation time: 15 Minutes
- Portions: 8
- Cooking methods: Oven
- Cuisine: French
- Seasonality: All seasons
- Energy 97.65 (Kcal)
- Carbohydrates 8.00 (g) of which sugars 0.13 (g)
- Proteins 1.30 (g)
- Fat 6.74 (g) of which saturated 0.96 (g)of which unsaturated 5.43 (g)
- Fibers 0.26 (g)
- Sodium 44.28 (mg)
Indicative values for a portion of 15 g processed in an automated way starting from the nutritional information available on the CREA* and FoodData Central** databases. It is not food and / or nutritional advice.
* CREATES Food and Nutrition Research Center: https://www.crea.gov.it/alimenti-e-nutrizione https://www.alimentinutrizione.it ** U.S. Department of Agriculture, Agricultural Research Service. FoodData Central, 2019. https://fdc.nal.usda.gov
Vol-au-vent with Ready-Made Puff Pastry
- 1 sheet puff pastry
- as needed water
Tools
- Cutters
- Rolling Pin
How to Make Vol-au-vent with Ready-Made Puff Pastry
Remove the puff pastry from the refrigerator at least 15 minutes before using it to prevent it from breaking during unrolling.
Unroll the puff pastry and cut it using the larger cutter. Then, with a smaller round cutter, remove the central part of two-thirds of the circles (or stars).
Cut larger circles from the puff pastry and place them on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper. Use three layers of puff pastry, starting with a base made up of a whole disc. Place the two perforated circles on top of it, one on top of the other. To ensure good adhesion between the layers, gently brush water onto the surface of each disc using a pastry brush or simply your finger.
Finally, brush the top of the vol-au-vent. Prick the inner bottom with a toothpick and, if desired, insert dried beans to prevent the center from puffing up too much during baking.
🍀🍀🍀🍀 ANTI-WASTE IDEA 🍀🍀🍀🍀
With the remaining puff pastry circles, place one circle on the parchment paper and brush it with water. Layer a second circle on top and brush again. Finally, sprinkle the small tower with poppy seeds or other herbs and spices as desired.
The puff pastry scraps can be reworked and rolled out again with the rolling pin.
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BAKING
Note: Before baking, I recommend putting the vol-au-vent in the refrigerator or freezer while the oven heats up. This step helps to better preserve the shape of the vol-au-vent during baking.
Preheat the static oven to 392°F (or the fan oven to 356°F) and bake the vol-au-vent in a preheated oven for about 10 minutes, or until puffed and golden.
STORING the vol-au-vent
To store homemade vol-au-vent properly, it’s important to keep them separate from the filling. Puff pastry tends to lose its crispness when it comes into contact with moist ingredients. Once baked and cooled, vol-au-vent can be stored in an airtight container at room temperature for a couple of days. If you want to store them longer, you can freeze them on their own and slightly warm them in the oven before filling them, so they become crispy and fragrant again.
FAQ
Why is it called vol-au-vent?
The name “vol-au-vent” comes from French and literally means “flight to the wind.” This term perfectly describes the lightness of the preparation: vol-au-vent, with their thin and delicate puff pastry, seem to almost fly away due to how light and airy they are. It was this characteristic that inspired the name, reflecting their flaky and soft texture, almost intangible.
What does voulevant mean?
Although the original term “vol-au-vent” is French, the dish is very popular in Italy and has taken on the more familiar and colloquial form of name “voulevant.”
