РЕЦЕПТ / ОДНА ИЗ РЕАЛИЗАЦИЙ

Classic Vol-au-vent in the Style of Carême

Featured in a classic French cookbook Larousse Gastronomique , this recipe for vol-au-vent was quoted from Carême’s own original book, L’Art de la Cuisine Française au XIXe siècle . It is divided into three steps: preparing the puff pastry (which can be done a day in advance), preparing the classic sauce financière, and filling the vol-au-vent.

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Фото: shutterstock

Порции: 6
Подготовка: 1 ч
Приготовление: 1 ч
Всего: 7 ч 20 мин

СОСТАВ РЕЦЕПТА

PUFF PASTRY
500g (1.1 lbs) flour
300 ml (1 ¼ cup) water
1 ½ tsp salt
500g (1.1 lbs) butter
1 egg
SAUCE FINANCIÈRE
lean ham
pinch of mignonette
thyme
bay leaf
mushroom and truffle trimmings
2 tbsp consommé
2 ½ glasses dry Madeira

ШАГИ

01
First, prepare the puff pastry. Sieve the flour and put it on a board making a well in the middle. Into the center of this circle put salt and water – the exact amount of water may vary depending on the type of flour. Mix and knead until the dough is smooth and elastic. Form into a ball and let it stand for 25 minutes.
02
Roll out the dough evenly into a sheet measuring 20 x 20 cm (8" x 8"). Put the kneaded butter in the middle and fold the ends of the dough over the butter to enclose it completely. Leave it to stand for 10 minutes in a cool place.
03
The next step is called tourage – giving turns to the dough. Flour the board lightly and roll the dough with a rolling pin to obtain a rectangle 60 cm (24") long, 20 cm (8") wide, and 1.5 cm (5/8") thick. Refold the strip in three and roll the folded dough in the opposite direction.
04
Give 4 more turns to the dough, leaving it to stand for 10 minutes between each turn. After having been given the 6 prescribed turns, the puff pastry is ready to use.
05
Roll the pastry to a thickness of 5 mm (1/5"). Cut the first piece in a circle 15 cm (6") in diameter and place it on a baking sheet which has been brushed with water. Cut the second piece into a circle and remove a round from the middle so it resembles a ring with the interior diameter of 11 cm () and the exterior diameter of 16 cm (). Brush the first piece with water and place the second piece on top. Press lightly to fix and leave for 10 minutes
06
Brush the top with a beaten egg. Cut a circle on the central part which will be used as a lid after baking. Bake in a hot oven (180°C/350°F) for 20 to 25 minutes. Detach the lid afterward and leave to cool.
07
Next, prepare the sauce financière. Put the shredded ham, mignonette, thyme, bay leaf, mushroom and truffle trimmings and 2 glasses of Madeira in a saucepan. Boil down over low heat and add the consommé. Boil down in half, strain, put back on the heat and mix in ½ glass Madeira. Finally, boil down in a bain-marie.
08
Assemble the vol-au-vent by filling them with tepid sauce financière and covering them with a lid. Serve immediately.

ВАЖНЫЕ ДЕТАЛИ

На что обратить внимание

PUFF PASTRY

Due to numerous steps and required skills, preparing the puff pastry from scratch is both time-consuming and challenging. The dough needs to rest in a cool place between each turn, but it is suggested not to leave it in a refrigerator since the low temperature will cause the butter to harden and the pastry to become chewy. Use two sharp-edged glasses or dough molds of different diameters to cut the puff pastry. The size of individual vol-au-vent can be adjusted to your liking, from bite-sized to large, but keep in mind that the puff pastry tends to expand a little during baking. Glue the top and bottom layer with a little bit of water and glaze the top with whisked egg or egg white.

FILLING

The texture of a filling can vary from crumbly to smooth, and it is a custom that the meat-based vol-au-vent is usually served warm, while the fish-based one is served cold. The sauces need to be reduced properly so the puff pastry does not become soggy, which is why vol-au-vent is best served fresh. Use a pastry bag to fill the vol-au-vent with creamy or mousse-like fillings.