Turkey and Lemon Vol-Au-Vents

Nowadays, vol-au-vents seem to have a bad reputation, but there’s no reason why! Enriched filling in crisp, buttery pastry – it’s always a winner in our books.

This no-fuss canapé will make hosting a breeze. You can use cooked chicken instead of the turkey, if you like.

Yields: 10 servings

Prep Time: 25 mins

Process Time: 20 mins

Total Time: 45 mins

Calories per Serving: 192

Ingredients

Plain flour, to dust

• 500 g

  block puff pastry

• 1

  medium egg, beaten

FOR THE FILLING

• 25 g

  butter

• 1/2

  onion, finely chopped

• 50 g

  mushrooms, finely chopped

• 2

  bacon rashers, finely chopped

• 1

  medium egg yolk

• 2 tbsp.

  double cream

• 1 tsp.

  English mustard

• 20 g

  plain flour

• 200 mL

  chicken stock

Finely grated zest and juice 1/2 lemon

• 125 g

  cooked turkey or chicken meat, finely chopped

YOU WILL ALSO NEED

9cm and 6cm round cutters

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 220°C (200°C fan) mark 7, and line 2 baking sheets with baking parchment. Lightly flour a work surface and roll out the pastry to 5mm thick. Stamp out 10 x 9cm rounds and transfer to the lined sheets, spacing apart.
2. Using a 6cm round cutter, score the centre of each round, making sure not to cut all the way through the pastry. Chill for 15min.
3. Brush the tops of the pastry circles with some beaten egg, to glaze. Cook for 10-15min, or until well-risen and golden.
4. Meanwhile, make the filling. In a medium pan, melt the butter over low heat and cook the onion for 5min, until softened. Turn up the heat and add the mushrooms and bacon, frying until any liquid in the pan has evaporated. In a small bowl, mix the egg yolk, cream and mustard; set aside.
5. Stir the flour into the onion pan, cook for 1min, then gradually mix in stock. Bring to the boil, stirring. Reduce heat and mix in lemon zest and juice, turkey/chicken, egg yolk mixture and some seasoning until piping hot. Remove from heat.
6. When the pastry is cooked, carefully lift or cut out the central 6cm lids; set aside. Using a teaspoon, scoop out and discard any soft pastry from inside the cases.
7. Spoon the hot filling into the pastry cases. Lay on the lids and serve.

Per vol-au-vent:

• Calories: 192
• Protein: 9g
• Fat: 12g
• Saturates: 6g
• Carbs: 11g
• Sugars: 1g
• Fibre: 1g