Vol-au-vent
Ingredients
Directions
The book says “a good brisk oven”. The 400°F (200°C) in the steps is the modern equivalent, not the book's own figure.
Prepare
Make ½ lb of puff pastry according to your favorite recipe.
Preheat the oven to 400°F (200°C).
Bake and fill
Bake the pastry until it rises nicely and looks light.
Prepare the fruit compote by boiling the syrup down until very thick.
Fill the vol-au-vent with the thickened fruit compote, piling it high in the center.
Glaze and serve
Dust a little sugar over the top.
Return it to the oven to glaze, or use a salamander.
Serve warm.
Transcribed from a scanned cookbook and modernised for today's kitchens. Where the book gave no heat or time, or said "a moderate oven", the temperatures and times here may be modern equivalents rather than the book's own figures.
Explore the science
What each ingredient does
- Puff pastry
- Its layers puff and rise in the oven to form the light, hollow case.
- Fruit compote
- Provides the sweet, moist filling that is thickened by boiling down its syrup.
- Sugar
- Dusted on top, it caramelizes under heat to add browning and a glossy finish.
The step that matters
Boiling the syrup down until very thick. If the compote is too thin, its liquid soaks into the pastry and makes it soggy. Reducing the syrup thickens it so it holds its shape when piled high.
“What each ingredient does” and “The step that matters” were written by Claude from this recipe’s own method and reviewed in samples by CompKitchen.
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