SALMON VOL-AU-VENT: Recipe and Tricks for Baskets that Puff and a Stable Mousse
A delicious, tasty and quick recipe to prepare, Salmon Vol-au-Vent are a perfect appetizer for a buffet or party, ready in minutes, also excellent with Gorgonzola and Walnuts or Shrimp and Cocktail Sauce.
The recipe is very simple and is made with ready-rolled puff pastry, but you can speed it up even more by buying pre-baked vol-au-vents available at the supermarket counters.
To make this elegant and delicate single-portion appetizer, once the bases are baked (or bought ready-made) you will only need to take care of the Salmon Mousse.
A creamy filling based on smoked salmon, dill and lemon zest in a base of spreadable cream cheese and Greek yogurt that become the most flavorful finger food ever!
This Salmon Vol-au-Vent recipe is not only easy and quick but also doesn’t require particular kitchen tools. I confess I often make it by hand in a bowl with a fork to dirty as few things as possible.
If you have leftover Salmon Mousse even better! You can serve it the next day with breadsticks or vegetables, spread it on crostini or serve it in a small glass with a savory crumble base.
At the end of the recipe you will also find the procedure to prepare the Salmon Mousse with the Thermomix (Bimby).
- Difficulty: Very easy
- Cost: Medium
- Preparation time: 20 Minutes
- Cooking time: 15 Minutes
- Portions: 6
- Cuisine: Italian
- Energy 323.19 (Kcal)
- Carbohydrates 17.52 (g) of which sugars 1.65 (g)
- Proteins 12.22 (g)
- Fat 22.82 (g) of which saturated 2.52 (g)of which unsaturated 11.50 (g)
- Fibers 0.77 (g)
- Sodium 747.76 (mg)
Indicative values for a portion of 80 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
Ingredients
- 2 rolls puff pastry
- 8 oz smoked salmon
- 1/3 cup Greek yogurt
- 8 oz cream cheese (Philadelphia, robiola)
- lemon zest (1 teaspoon)
- lemon juice (1 tablespoon)
- 1 teaspoon dill (or chives)
- to taste salt
- 1 pinch black pepper (ground)
Tools
- Bowl
- Baking sheet
Steps
Discs: Remove the puff pastry from the refrigerator 10 minutes before using. Unroll the first roll and, with a round cutter (diameter 2 in), cut out whole rounds (the base).
Rings: Using the same cutter, cut more rounds from the second roll. Use a smaller round cutter (diameter about 3/4 in) to punch out the center of these rounds, creating the rings (the “basket”). You will need two rings for each base.
Anti-Deflation Trick: The three-layer method is crucial for structure.
Raw Assembly: Place the whole discs on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper. Brush them with water or beaten egg. Stack the first punched ring on top, brush again and finish with the second punched ring.
Baking: Bake in a preheated conventional oven at 392°F (200°C) for about 15 minutes, or until well golden and puffed. Remove from oven and let cool completely.Creamy Base: In a food processor, place the smoked salmon (cut into pieces), the cream cheese, the Greek yogurt, the lemon juice and zest, and a pinch of salt and pepper.
Blending: Blend until you obtain a smooth, homogeneous mixture.
Flavoring: Transfer the mousse to a bowl and fold in the chopped dill (or chives) with a spoon. Mix to combine well.
Anti-Liquidity Trick: Using Greek yogurt and cream cheese, unlike pure cream, makes the mousse naturally more stable and less likely to melt.
Filling: With a teaspoon or a piping bag, fill the cooled puff pastry baskets with the Salmon Mousse.
Final Touch: Serve immediately or keep refrigerated. Garnish each Vol-au-vent with a small rolled piece of smoked salmon and a sprig of dill or chives.
The 3 Essential Tricks for a Perfect Vol-au-Vent
1. The “3 Discs” MethodVol-au-vents that don’t puff or don’t form a basket.For each Vol-au-vent, use 1 whole disc as the base and 2 stacked rings. This gives mass and lift for a perfect height.
2. Resting the SalmonMousse that falls apart.The Salmon Mousse made with a cream cheese/yogurt base is very stable, but it must be served cold. Prepare it in advance and let it rest in the refrigerator for at least 30 minutes before filling.
3. Replacing AirPuff pastry that’s greasy.After baking, Vol-au-vents may have internal bubbles. Gently press the center with a teaspoon to make room for the mousse.
NOTES
For a stronger flavor you can add finely chopped capers to the Salmon Mousse.
If you have leftover Salmon Mousse here are some ideas on how to use it: spread on crostini or bagels; served in a small bowl with crackers, breadsticks or crudités; on a slice of whole grain bread for a savory breakfast; or in a chic version inside small glasses with crushed crackers on the bottom to emulate a savory cheesecake.
SALMON AND PHILADELPHIA MOUSSE WITH THERMOMIX (BIMBY)
To prepare the Salmon and Philadelphia Mousse with the Thermomix you will need: 200 g smoked salmon (about 7 oz), 130 g Philadelphia or other spreadable cheese (about 4.6 oz), 30 g butter (about 2 tbsp), 1 tablespoon lemon juice, a pinch of ground black pepper. METHOD: Put the chopped smoked salmon into the Thermomix bowl and process for 15 sec. at speed 7. Add the spreadable cheese (Philadelphia), softened butter, a pinch of pepper and lemon juice and set to speed 5 for 20 sec. Your Salmon and Philadelphia Mousse is ready.
VARIATIONS
In this recipe we filled the Vol-au-Vents with smoked salmon and Philadelphia mousse, but you can also replace it with the Mortadella Mousse or prepare Vol-au-vents with Gorgonzola and Walnuts, Cheese Fondue or even Shrimp and Cocktail Sauce.
Instead of Philadelphia other spreadable cheeses work well too, for example robiola or for a lighter version ricotta.
STORAGE
Vol-au-vent (Baked Bases): Empty puff pastry baskets can be stored in a tin box at room temperature for 3-4 days and are ready to be filled when needed.
Mousse: The Salmon Mousse can be kept in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 2 days. I recommend preparing it in advance and stirring it well before use.
Assembled: A filled Vol-au-vent should be stored in the fridge and eaten within a few hours to avoid the puff pastry base softening in contact with the mousse.
