Vol Au Vent

Vol au vent: named due to its light and flaky pastry insinuating it could fly off your plate in the wind. Vol au vent (flight in the wind).

Traditionally filled with chicken, sweet breads and mushroom. The pastry was the quintessential item present at any worthy buffet table.

Prep Time

15 min

Cook Time

Serves

20 min

THE FACTS

Can prep assemble & refrigerate

Bechamel sauce base

Custom fillings

INGREDIENTS

75g butter

1/4 40g plain flour

1 1/4 cups 260g milk

3 garlic cloves

4 stems asparagus

250g musrooms

2 tbsp butter

salt & pepper to taste

Simplified Recipe Card

Essentially a bechamel with your desired filling however a classic vol au vent calls for a little more richness with the inclusion of white wine and crème fraiche.

The beauty of these flavour bombs is that you can prepare them in the morning ready to slide into the oven later that evening. This is certainly one of those nostalgic dishes that evoke memories of past dinner parties.

Bite Size Look

2 min

Just a Sliver Tutorial

0 min

Real time Tutorial

0 min

METHOD

Bechamel Sauce Method

1. Melt the butter ensuring you are constantly stirring so it doesn't burn.

2. Slowly start adding the plain flour 1 tablespoon at a time, constantly stirring until each spoonful has been fully mixed in.

3. Slowly add the tempered milk 1/3 of a cup at a time.

NOTE: the mixture will thicken quickly so be ready to add small pours of milk to thin the mixture out. It is best to use a wooden spoon at this stage.

4. Once the milk has been fully incorporated you can add the white wine or crème fraiche along with your desired spices. Leave to the side while you prepare the rest of the fillings

NOTE: you will have to turn off and on or take your pot off and return to the heat as this is a delicate sauce early on before you are halfway incorporating the milk.

Filling Method

5. Finely cube your filling, I like to use mushroom for one vol au vent and asparagus for the other.

6. Add the tablespoon of butter to the pan along with the garlic and sweat down to soften and evaporate some of the moisture.

7. Reheat some of the bechamel and add 1 cup to your flavour such as the mushrooms or asparagus and stir, test the taste to ensure it is stilling where you like. Add some salt and pepper to enhance the taste.