Vol Au Vent Also Called Bouchée à la Reine

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Bouchée à la Reine is what we generically call Vol au vent, which means flying with the wind, named after its light flaky pastry.  While the Vol au vent was originally a large pastry to cut in portions and share, the Bouchée à la Reine is small, the size of a bite perfect for a buffet table.

Jump to:

• Origin of this recipe
• Making the Bouchée
• More Frech starter recipes
• 📋Vol Au Vent Also Called Bouchée à la Reine

Origin of this recipe

I took this recipe from Auguste Escoffier famous book Le Guide Culinaire. Auguste Escoffier is defined as the chef of the royal and the royal of the chefs.

Born in 1845 here in Villeneuve Loubet, he has revolutionized the French cuisine during his 60 years of career. From the Savoy, Riz and Carlton in London Paris and Monaco, he modernized and simplified the French Haut cuisine. His book Le Guide Culinaire is still a reference for chefs worldwide.

I went to visit his Culinary Museum and if you are interested you can find the video here.

Bouchée à la Reine are what we more commonly know as Vol au vent, small baskets made with flaky buttery puff pastry with inside a savoury filling.

Escoffier wrote that the Bouchée à la Reine were originally filled with a puree of poultry, but more recently filled with a salpicon of poultry, mushrooms and some sort of cream.

To make it easier to cook at home I replace the poultry with bacon and use Crème fraîche as a sauce. They are perfect to serve as a starter, so feel free to use any filling you fancy.

Making the Bouchée

I don’t make the pastry myself as it is too time-consuming, so I buy the one already made and rolled flat. I just have to unroll it and make the shape with a ravioli cutter.

You can also buy the Bouchée already made in shape and you just need to bake them. Some supermarket or boulangerie also sell them freshly baked, ready to be filled.

If you want to make them yourself here is how to make them:

1. Open the pastry and cut several rounds 3 in – 7 cm in diameter
2. Leave 8 circles as the base and cut a smaller circle inside the remaining (the centre of the ring will be the top)
3. Place 2 rings over each base
4. Rolls the remaining pieces and make more shape to use all the dough

5. Put on a baking tray and brush with egg wash
6. Prick the centre of the pastry with a fork
7. Bake in a hot oven at 180C – 350F for 20 minutes
8. If not using immediately, store the Vol Au Vent in an airtight container

Making the filling

1. Stir-fry the minced garlic with butter and olive oil
2. Add the bacon and let it brown
3. Add the mushrooms cut into small size
4. In the end, add creme fraiche and let it simmer for few more minutes
5. Add fresh parsley and let it cool down

To serve

1. Warm up the filling
2. Fill the Vol Au Vent
3. Cover with the top and sprinkle with some parsley

More Frech starter recipes

This recipe was published in a video proposing 3 Spring Starters for a buffet with step by step organized cooking planning. You can find the video here. These are the starters featured:

• Gougère Bourguignonne
• Rissole à la Dauphine
• Bouchée à la Rein

If you are making these Bouchée à la Reine leave your comment below I would like to hear from you. You can find more delicious ideas if you FOLLOW ME on Facebook, YouTube, Pinterest and Instagram or sign up to my newsletter.