Preparation

• To make the vol-au-vent, you need two cookie cutters of the same shape but different sizes.

  I used two flower-shaped cookie cutters: one measures 2.4 inches and the other measures 1.4 inches.

  

• Only one ingredient: the light puff pastry.
  We don’t brush with egg or water.

  Line a baking sheet with a sheet of baking paper.

  Take the light puff pastry out of the fridge.
  Gently unroll the light puff pastry and the paper it is wrapped in on a work surface.

• Vol-au-vent Base
  The base of the vol-au-vent consists of a single layer of puff pastry.
  Use the larger cutter to cut out the bases and place them on the baking sheet.

  Vol-au-vent Edge
  The edge of the vol-au-vent can be made of one or two layers of puff pastry.
  Two layers: fold the puff pastry sheet over itself or stack two layers of puff pastry.
  Use the larger cutter to cut the edges and the smaller cutter to cut and remove the center.

• 
  Gently place the edges on the bases.
  Prick the bases with a fork or toothpick.

• * times and temperatures may vary depending on the oven.

  Bake at 392°F in a fan-assisted oven monitoring coloration and baking of the vol-au-vent:
  – bake at central height;
  – after the first 5 minutes, move to a lower rack;
  – after another 5 minutes, if the vol-au-vent are already well-colored, lower the oven temperature to 320°F;
  – after another 5 minutes, remove from the oven;
  total baking time: about 15 minutes.

  Your light puff pastry vol-au-vent are ready to fill.

  Enjoy your meal!

  

• Line a baking sheet with a sheet of baking paper.

  Place the puff pastry cut-outs – those you removed from the vol-au-vent edges – on the baking sheet.

  Roll the leftover puff pastry – without pressing or kneading – to form one or more irregular cords and cut into pieces.
  Place the puff pastry pieces on the baking sheet.

  Bake at 392°F in a fan-assisted oven for 10 minutes, monitoring coloration and baking.

  You can use the cut-outs to decorate your dishes and serve the pieces as croutons.

• Light toppings for every taste.

  Creams, mousses, pâtés, dense soft fluffy frothy sauces usable with pastry bags and tips.

  Vegetable-based example light artichoke cream.
  Legume-based example light lentil cream, light chickpea hummus, light chickpea and broccoli hummus, light chickpea and pumpkin hummus, light dried fava bean hummus.

  Cold cut-based example turkey breast or cooked ham mousse.
  Meat-based example chicken, turkey, beef, veal mousse.
  Cheese-based example spreadable cheese mousse [cottage cheese, Philadelphia, ricotta, stracchino] with herbs and/or dried tomatoes or ‘nciappati chopped or capuliato | Sicilian dried tomato pesto, basil and dried tomato pesto with mozzarella, Greek yogurt sauce and light pink sauce or light cocktail sauce.

  Fish-based example light fish mousse, tuna and yogurt mousse.

  Egg-based example hard-boiled egg mousse.

  Add:
  – herbs to color and flavor example basil, chives, marjoram, mint, parsley, rosemary, sage, thyme;
  – spices to color and flavor example cinnamon, turmeric, nutmeg, paprika, mixed peppercorns with grinder, saffron, ginger;

  Also fill in a sweet lightly sweet version example with light ricotta cream and light coffee ricotta cream.