Seafood Vol-au-vent Recipe for All!!!

I first tried Vol-au-vent (Voulauvent from now on) at events held at work. I thought these small little finger food not only look cute but also taste absolutely yummy! I've asked some of the students who have learned how to do this and they told me it is super easy to make and shared the recipe and method with me straight away. I've procrastinated for quite a while until Christmas last year when I finally did this French dish for my bunch of cool family members.  

I'm really glad that they turned out well although I think this is really a party/event food so it might take me some time before I make this again. Well, actually if you want, you can make them in bigger size so it can be a main course too! So the size is really up to your preferences!
Anywayz, just in case you are interested, I'm sharing with you how to make this super cute and yummy finger food.

What you need: 
For the pastry - Sheets of frozen puff pastry (unless if you are confident to make your own puff pastry), round pastry cutter of one bigger size and one smaller size, one beaten egg. 

For the filling - olive oil, chopped onions, chopped fish fillet, crab meat, chopped mussel meat (I used only frozen seafood here and you can choose to have whatever filling you want in it), cooking/whipping cream, chopped/dried parsley, salt and pepper, fresh parsley leaves for garnishing. 

What to do:
(Pastry)
1) Take out only the sheet of puff pastry needed (if you leave them out of the freezer for too long, they will melt and will become extremely hard to cut), use the bigger cutter to cut the round shape pastry out. Lay it out on a baking paper on your oven tray.

2) Now cut the same round pastry, then use the smaller one to cut another circle in the big circle (see photo for better understanding, LOL!). 

3) Now take the ring (outer part of the two circles out and place it on top of the round pastry that you've cut out earlier.

4) Now brush eggs over the pastry for a little 'glitter' on the pastry. 

5) Preheat the oven at about 180c for 5 minutes or so before sending the pastry in. I didn't really time how long I put the pastry for but it probably take less than 10 minutes to be done. 

6) Remove the pastry from the oven, with a small knife, dig out the pastry in the middle so that you can put your filling in.

(Filling)
1) Heat up a pan with some olive oil, then simmer the chopped onion until they turn brownish.

2) Put in the fish first, stir-fry for a few minutes.

3) Add in the crab meat and continue to stir.

4) Lastly, add in the mussels and fry for another 1 minute.

5) Put some cream in then add in salt and pepper to taste, and some dried/fresh chopped parsley and you are done!

6) Now with the filling, just scoop them into the little hole of the pastry, then place the parsley leave on top to garnish! 

Ta da...

I just love how my Volauvents look in the photos!!! :D

Well I still think there are rooms for improvement especially in making the filling a bit more nicer and creamier. But that was already quite a nice try! :) To me, the dish looks absolutely like some high-end French food which doesn't require a top chef to make!
The pastry can be kept for quite long in an air-tight container and you can practically put any filling you want to make your own Volauvent. For instance, few days after the party, I made some sweet Volauvents with Yut Kee's Kaya and my colleagues enjoyed them so much!

Doesn't look as appetizing isn't it? But because the the kaya was nice and chilled, the dessert received great reviews! 

Honestly, with the frozen puff pastry, it is quite easy to make Volauvent. With bigger size you can make it a main course like a pie or something but with smaller size like what I did, they are perfect as finger food for hi-tea or parties!
Do try making this one day! :D