Vol-au-Vent

Ingredients

• •2 sheets (about 500 g total) all-butter puff pastry, thawed if frozen
• •1 large egg
• •1 tablespoon cold water
• •1 teaspoon fine salt, for dusting the work surface (not added to dough)

Directions

1. 1Line two baking sheets with parchment and refrigerate them. Keep the puff pastry cold until the moment you use it; warm pastry won't rise cleanly.
2. 2On a lightly floured surface, roll each pastry sheet to an even 4 mm thickness. Using a 8 cm round cutter, stamp out 24 circles total. Re-roll scraps once if needed.
3. 3From 12 of the circles (the lids and bases), use a 5 cm cutter to cut a ring out of the centre of 12 circles, leaving a border ring and a small disc. Keep all pieces — the solid circles are bases, the rings stack to form walls, and the small discs become the lids.
4. 4Place the 12 solid circles on the cold parchment-lined trays. Beat the egg with the cold water and lightly brush the tops of the solid bases, keeping egg wash off the cut edges so the layers can puff freely.
5. 5Press one pastry ring firmly onto each egg-washed base to form the case walls. Brush the top of each ring lightly with egg wash. Place the small discs alongside on the tray to bake as lids.
6. 6Chill the assembled cases and lids on the trays in the refrigerator for 15 minutes — this relaxes the gluten and firms the butter so the pastry rises straight.
7. 7Preheat the oven to 220 °C (425 °F). Bake the cases and lids for 18–22 minutes until deep golden and fully puffed. Do not open the oven in the first 15 minutes.
8. 8Transfer to a wire rack. While still warm, use a small knife to press down any uncooked doughy layer inside each case, clearing the hollow. Cool completely before filling or storing in an airtight container for up to 2 days.

💡 Keep every component cold right up to baking — if the kitchen is warm, chill the cut shapes an extra 5 minutes before assembling.

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