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Home » Cakes, Cookies and Desserts » How to make vol-au-vents

How to make vol-au-vents

Author: VJ Published : November 2019 Modified : November 2022 / 2 people have commented

Recipe
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Vol-au-vents are an impressive party snack to serve when you have guests. Here’s how to make your own vol-au-vents using shop-bought puff pastry. Make a batch today and pack them with your favourite fillings for a quick and easy party canape!

6 vol-au-vent shells on a wooden board.

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Table Of Contents
  1. Vol-au-vents
  2. What you will need
  3. How to make vol-au-vents
  4. FAQ
  5. Ideas for fillings
  6. Other party food ideas
  7. Save for later
  8. The recipe – Homemade vol-au-vents
  9. Homemade vol-au-vents

Vol-au-vents

There is a good reason why vol-au-vents were so popular back in the 70s. It is simply because they were so quick to prepare and taste so delicious to eat. Who doesn’t love a crispy, melt-in-the mouth puff pastry case packed with mouth-watering fillings of sweet or savoury goodness.

It’s a pity that these tasty morsels seem to have gone out of fashion, because they are one of the easiest snacks to make and serve. Let me show you how to make your own homemade vol-au-vent cases from shop-bought puff pastry. I’ve got ideas for loads of delicious fillings too so that you can impress your Christmas guests with plates of tasty snacks.

Close up of 12 baked vol-au-vent shells.

What you will need

Equipment

A large baking tray lined with baking parchment, or you could line your baking tray with a non-stick silicone mat instead.

Ingredients

This recipe makes 12 smallish vol-au-vent cases.

**You can get the full list of ingredients and instructions on how to make vol-u-vents on the printable recipe card at the end of this post**

This has got to be the shortest shopping list ever! You only need 2 ingredients.

  • Puff pastry – you can buy ready-rolled puff pastry that you just unroll, or you can buy the pastry in a block that you have to roll yourself.
  • Egg – for egg-washing

And that’s it. This is all you need to make vol-au-vent cases.

Note – If you have bought a brick of puff pastry that needs to be rolled, place the puff pastry on a floured board. Using a rolling pin, roll it out into a rectangular shape, roughly 24cm x 36 cm.

How to make vol-au-vents

The prep time is only 10 to 15 minutes and the cooking time is 20 minutes.

A sheet of puff pastry cut into squares ready to be assembled into vol-au-vents.

Unroll your pastry and leave it on the paper it was rolled in.

Cut it half down the middle then cut each half into 12 (roughly) even squares so you have 24 squares.

Cut another square into the inside of 12 of the squares. Leave a rim around the edge. This will form the sides of your vol-au-vent as it cooks.

The vol-au-vents are made by layering a square with the cutout on top of an uncut square.

Close up of puff pastry squares brushed with egg-wash.

Beat an egg lightly until well combined and then brush the edges of the 12 UNCUT squares with the beaten egg.

This will help the second layer of pastry to stick.

Place each square on a lined baking sheet.

12 assembled vol-au-vent cases ready for the oven.

Take the squares with the cut out in the centre and arrange them on top of the uncut squares. You will now have 12 squares of pastry with 2 layers each.

Brush the top of the squares with egg wash, but be careful not to get it on the sides otherwise your vol-au-vents will not rise properly.

12 vol-au-vent cases on a baking tray

Preheat the oven to 190C/375F.

Place the tray in the preheated oven for 15 to 20 minutes until the vol-au-vents are well-risen and golden.

Remove the vol-au-vents from the oven and allow them to cool.

Carefully remove the centre of each vol-au-vent and reserve it to use as a lid once you have filled the vol-au-vents.

5 vol-au-vent cases with the middle removed, ready to be filled.
Remove the centre square and reserve it as a lid.

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FAQ

How large should I make the vol-au-vents

How large you make them depends on how you wish to serve them.
If you intend to serve them as canapes, then they should be quite small.
If you intend to serve them as a starter then you may like to make them larger.

Can I make different shapes?

Yes, you could use a scone cutter to make circular shapes. Use two sizes, one larger one to cut the initial circles, and a smaller one to cut the inner circles.

Can I freeze vol-au-vent cases?

You can freeze the vol-au-vents either cooked or uncooked.
To freeze uncooked vol-au-vents – assemble the vol-au-vents and then freeze them on the baking sheet until they are hard. Transfer to a plastic bag and store in the freezer until you are ready to use them. To use, place the frozen vol-au-vents on a parchment-lined baking tray and let them defrost. Bake as per recipe instructions
To freeze cooked vol-au-vents – place the cooked vol-au-vents in a rigid container and place them in the freezer. To use, remove from the freezer and allow to defrost. Then place in a hot oven for a few minutes to warm and crisp. Fill the warm vol-au-vents with your favourite filling.

Can I make vol-au-vents in advance?

Do not fill the vol-au-vents too far in advance of serving as they will absorb moisture from the filling and will go soggy.
Instead keep the cooked vol-au-vents and the filling separate until just before you want to eat them, then fill and serve immediately.

Close up of a golden brown vol-au-vent case showing the layers of pastry.

Ideas for fillings

There are so many yummy fillings you could put in these vol-au-vents. You are limited only by your imagination.

Here are some savoury ideas to get you started.

  • chicken and mushrooms in a creamy sauce
  • chopped hardboiled eggs and ham mixed with mayonnaise
  • cream cheese and smoked salmon topped with chives
  • shredded roast beef mixed with horseradish
  • prawn mayonnaise
  • coronation chicken
  • chopped cherry tomatoes and black olives mixed with cream cheese

If you wanted to make sweet vol-au-vents then try these

  • Whipped cream mixed with chopped strawberries or other fruit
  • Sliced bananas mixed with custard
  • Chocolate mousse topped with a glace cherry
  • Homemade orange curd and mandarin oranges

Other party food ideas

Why not try some of these other party food ideas.

  • Pork and apple sausage rolls – everyone’s favourite party snack
  • South African Savoury Tart – eggs and Vienna sausages mixed with thick cheesy sauce baked in a crispy homemade pastry shell
  • Ham and cheese pinwheels – made with 2-ingredient dough
  • Scotch eggs – hard-boiled eggs covered with a layer of pork mince and coated in crispy breadcrumbs.
  • Sesame chicken strips – strips of tender chicken breast, deep-fried in a coating of sesame seeds
  • 10 best garlic bread recipes – because no party is complete without a slice of garlic bread!

Save for later

If you would like to make your own vol-au-vents, why not pin this recipe to one of your Pinterest boards so you can find it easily. Just click on the image below.

Alternatively, you can save the recipe by clicking on the floating heart icon on the right-hand side of the screen.

This recipe was number 4 on my top 10 recipes for December 2019.

The recipe – Homemade vol-au-vents

5 vol-au-vents on a wooden plank.

Homemade vol-au-vents

Vol-au-vents are an impressive party snack to make when you have guests. Here's how to make your own vol-au-vent cases using shop-bought puff pastry. Make a batch today and pack them with your favourite fillings for a quick and easy party canape!
Recipe by: Veronica
Party
Any
Calories 116
Prep 10 minutes
Cook 20 minutes
Total Time 30 minutes
Servings: 12 vol-au-vents
Print Pin Comment Bookmark Saved!
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4.80 from 5 votes

(Click the stars to rate this recipe)

Equipment

  • Rolling Pin
  • Sharp Knife
  • Pastry brush
  • Baking tray
  • Baking parchment

Ingredients

  • 1 roll frozen puff pastry defrosted
  • 1 small egg

Instructions

  • Allow the puff pastry to defrost.
  • Preheat oven to 190°C / 375°F
  • Unroll the puff pastry. If using a block rather than a sheet, roll it into a rectangle, roughly 24cm x 36cm
    1 roll frozen puff pastry
  • Cut the puff pastry into 24 equal squares.
  • Take half of the pastry squares and cut a smaller square from the centre of each one. Leave the cutout piece in place.
  • Beat the egg lightly to form an eggwash and brush the edges of the uncut squares with the eggwash. Place each of the 12 squares onto lined baking sheet.
    1 small egg
  • Place each of the squares with the cutout on top of the egg-washed squares and brush the top of each one with the beaten egg. You will now have 12 squares with 2 layers each.
  • Place the baking tray in the oven and bake for approximately 15 to 20 minutes until well risen and golden
  • Remove the vol-au-vents from the oven.
  • Allow them to cool then carefully remove the centre square from each vol-au-vent. Set this piece aside to use as a lid when you fill the vol-au-vents
  • Fill with your favourite fillings and serve.

Notes

If you are using a roll of puff pastry you will not need to roll it with a rolling pin.  Just unroll the pastry onto a flat surface.
If you are using a block of puff pastry, you will need a rolling pin to roll it into shape.
Keep the squares all the same size so that they fit neatly when you stack them one on top of the other.
Fill with your favourite filling and serve whilst still warm.
Once you have filled the vol-au-vents, you should serve immediately as they are inclined to lose their crispness if they stand for too long.
The calorie count has been calculated for the vol-au-vents only and does not include any fillings you may use.

Nutrition

Calories – 116kcal | Carbohydrates – 10.1g | Protein – 2.2g | Fat – 7.4g | Saturated Fat – 3.6g | Cholesterol – 14mg | Sodium – 6mg | Potassium – 5mg | Fiber – 0.6g | Sugar – 0.2g | Vitamin D – 1µg | Calcium – 2mg

I am not a nutritionist. The nutrition information has been calculated using an on-line calculator, and is intended for information and guidance purposes only. If the nutrition information is important to you, you should consider calculating it yourself, using your preferred tool.

Unless otherwise stated, a cup is the standard US cup containing 240 ml. In all my recipes this cup is assumed to hold 140g of flour. For help converting other ingredients between cups, grams, ounces and other measures, see my recipe conversion calculator.
All my recipes are developed and tested at sea-level. For tips on adjusting recipes for high altitudes see my post on baking at high altitudes.
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Filed Under: All Recipes, Cakes, Cookies and Desserts, Trending

About VJ

In my previous life, I was an IT Consultant. Now that I've swapped an office for a kitchen I have a lot more time to spend on things that interest me such as trying out new recipes. Most of my cooking is based around quick and easy meals, and you'll probably find a little South African influence creeping in due to the many years I spent there.

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Comments

  1. Gail Hancock

    24 May 2021 at 9:52 am

    Square. How bloody simple and perfect! I just made a batch of failed v-a-v at a dinner party with friends. We decided to serve them ‘deconstructed’ lol! I’m definitely going to use your technique, thank you!

    Reply
    • VJ

      25 May 2021 at 12:51 pm

      Lol. Sometimes the simple ways are the best! I nearly didn’t post this recipe because I thought everyone would be doing it and I would look silly for posting something so easy. Glad I did now!

      Reply

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