How to Make Vol-au-Vent Shells from Store-Bought Puff Pastry
Vol-au-vent shells look like bakery work, but you only need all-butter puff pastry, two round cutters, and about 15 minutes of hands-on time. One 250g sheet makes 10 shells. This is the exact method I use for my Bombay Sandwich Vol-au-Vents and my Pepper Chicken Vol-au-Vents, written out slowly because the videos go fast.
Watch the video: see me make the shells in my spring taste and paint hosting video on YouTube!
Choosing the right puff pastry
Buy all-butter puff pastry. It rises taller, bakes crisper and tastes far better than versions made with vegetable fat or palm oil, so check that butter is high on the ingredients list.
Most Western supermarkets stock it in the freezer aisle or the chilled section next to the pizza dough. Ready-rolled sheets are the easiest, and I use 250g sheets, which give you 10 shells each.
Defrost it the way the pack says, usually in the fridge, so it stays cold the whole time. Cold dough is the secret here: warm dough turns sticky, and the layers fuse together instead of puffing up.
What you’ll need
The ingredient list is short. These amounts make 20 shells.
Ingredients
- 2 sheets (250g each) all-butter puff pastry, kept chilled
- 1 egg, beaten, for the egg wash (or a little water or milk if you want it egg-free)
- 1 tbsp nigella seeds (kalonji), optional but they look great and add a light savoury bite
Equipment
- 8cm round cutter, with a sharp, plain edge
- 6.5cm round cutter
- 2 baking trays lined with parchment paper
- Fork
- Pastry brush
No cutters? Use a drinking glass about 8cm across and a smaller jar lid or bowl, and cut around them with a sharp knife. Sharp edges matter, because blunt ones squash the layers together and stop the pastry rising evenly.
Step-by-step: how to make vol-au-vent shells
The trick is that each shell is two layers of pastry stacked together. A solid base stays flat, and a ring on top puffs up into the walls of the cup. Work with one sheet at a time so the second stays cold in the fridge.
- Preheat the oven to 200°C fan (about 220°C / 425°F without fan) or follow package instructions. Line two baking trays with parchment.
- Cut 20 circles from your first sheet with the 8cm cutter. Make sure the sheet is straight of the fridge and not room temp. Press straight down and lift straight up without twisting, because twisting seals the edges and the pastry will rise lopsided. Space the cuts close together to waste less pastry.
- Make the rims. Take 10 of the circles and cut a hole in the middle of each with the 6.5cm cutter. You now have 10 solid bases and 10 rings.
- Glue on the rims. Brush a thin line of egg wash (or water) around the edge of each base, then press a ring on top and line up the edges neatly. The wash acts as glue, so the ring doesn’t slide off in the oven.
- Prick the bases. Poke the 10 solid circles all over the middle with a fork. This lets steam escape so the centre stays low while the edges climb.
- Add the nigella seeds. Lightly brush the top of each ring with egg wash and sprinkle nigella seeds along it. Keep the wash off the cut sides, because it seals the layers and stops them from separating.
- Bake for 7 to 8 minutes at 200°C fan, until the rims are tall, deep golden and crisp. Start your second sheet while the first one bakes, so the pastry stays cold for the best puff. Ovens vary, so check at 7 minutes.
- Press the centres in. Let the shells cool for a minute or two, then gently push down the middle of each one with the back of a small spoon or your finger. This makes the well for your filling. Press softly so you don’t crack the walls.
- Cool completely before filling. Warm shells soften quickly, so fill them just before serving.
Don’t throw away the little 6.5cm discs from step 3. Sprinkle them with salt and nigella seeds, bake them alongside the shells, and snack on them while you cook or wrap it up and use it for another bake!
Tips for a tall, even puff
Most puff pastry problems come down to temperature. Keep the dough cold and the oven hot, and the layers do the work for you.
- Chill if it softens. If the dough gets warm or sticky while you cut, slide the tray into the fridge for 10 to 15 minutes before baking.
- Egg wash on top only. Drips down the cut sides glue the layers together and stop the rise.
- Preheat fully. Put the trays in the middle of a properly hot oven, not one that is still warming up.
- Leave space. Keep shells about 3cm apart so heat reaches every side.
- Fill late. Fill the shells just before serving and keep the filling thick, not watery, so the pastry stays crisp.
If something goes wrong
| Problem | Likely cause | Fix |
|---|---|---|
| Shells barely puffed | Dough got warm, oven not hot enough, or edges sealed by twisting the cutter | Chill cut shells for 10 minutes, preheat fully, press the cutter straight down |
| Rims puffed lopsided | Egg wash dripped down the sides, or the ring wasn’t lined up with the base | Brush the top only and match the edges carefully |
| Centre rose as high as the rim | Base wasn’t pricked enough | Prick more generously, then press the centre down after baking |
| Tops brown but layers look raw inside | Oven too hot or tray too high | Move to the middle rack, drop the heat by 10°C and bake a minute or two longer |
| Bases are pale or soft | Tray too low or shells too crowded | Bake on the middle rack with space between shells |
Make ahead, storing and FAQ
You can bake the shells a day ahead, which makes hosting much easier. Fill them on the day.
Can I make vol-au-vent shells in advance? Yes. Cool them completely, then store them in an airtight container. Exposed to air, they turn either rock hard or soft and chewy. If they lose their crispness, warm them in a 160°C oven for 3 to 5 minutes and cool them again before filling.
Can I freeze them? The easiest way is to freeze the shells unbaked. Build them, freeze them flat on a tray, then bake straight from frozen, adding a minute or two to the baking time. Keep baked shells at room temperature in an airtight container rather than freezing them.
Can I make them without egg? Yes. Brush with a little milk, plant-based milk or water instead. They brown a little less deeply, but they still puff well. For a fully vegan version, check that your puff pastry is vegan too, since many all-butter ones aren’t.
Do I have to use nigella seeds? No. They add colour and a gentle savoury flavour, but sesame seeds or no seeds at all work fine.
What should I fill them with? Anything thick and not too wet. I’ve filled mine with spiced potato masala for my Bombay Sandwich Vol-au-Vents and with pepper chicken topped with labneh and a ghee tadka for another version. Sweet fillings like whipped cream and fruit work too.
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