Citrus Dreams Vol-au-Vents
Prep. Time:
1 hour 30 minutes (plus 1 hour chilling)
Baking Time:
25–30 minutes
Total Time:
Approximately 3 hours 30 minutes
Serves:
12 vol-au-vents
Syabira created this dish for Great British Bake Off ™ Season 13. For Pastry Week's Signature Challenge, bakers were tasked with making 12 sweet vol-au-vents from rough puff pastry in just two hours — a notoriously difficult challenge where most bakers produced underbaked pastry. Syabira was the standout performer with her 'Citrus Dreams' vol-au-vents: rough puff cases filled with orange and mandarin cream cheese enhanced with orange liqueur and spiced with hints of clove and cardamom, topped with pecan praline. Paul praised the 'nice height' and consistent sizing, noting the pastry 'trapped the butter inside' for height without visible lamination — though he felt it was 'about two minutes away from being perfect' with the centre slightly doughy. Prue called the filling 'light' and the pecan praline 'just delicious.' Syabira earned Star Baker for the third consecutive week. This recipe extends the baking time with a two-stage technique to address Paul's feedback.
Ingredients
Instructions
MAKE THE ROUGH PUFF PASTRY
In a large bowl, combine the flour and salt. Add the cold butter cubes and toss to coat in flour — do not rub in. You want visible chunks of butter throughout; these create the layers. Add the lemon juice to the ice water. Make a well in the flour and pour in about two-thirds of the water. Using a butter knife, cut and stir until the dough just comes together in a shaggy mass, adding more water a tablespoon at a time as needed. You should still see streaks and lumps of butter. Turn out onto a lightly floured surface and shape into a rough rectangle.
LAMINATE THE DOUGH (4 TURNS)
Roll the dough out to a rectangle roughly 8 x 18 inches (20 x 45 cm). Fold the bottom third up and the top third down like a business letter. Turn 90 degrees. Roll out again to the same size rectangle and repeat the fold. You have now completed 2 turns. Wrap tightly in cling film and refrigerate for 30 minutes. Repeat for 2 more turns (4 total). The dough should now look smooth with faint butter streaks visible. Wrap and chill for at least 30 minutes or up to overnight.
CUT AND SHAPE THE VOL-AU-VENTS
On a lightly floured surface, roll the chilled dough to about ¼-inch (6 mm) thickness. Using the 3-inch (7.5 cm) cutter, cut 24 discs (you will need 2 per vol-au-vent). Press the cutter down firmly and cleanly in one motion — never twist, as twisting seals the layers and prevents rise. From 12 of the discs, use the 2-inch (5 cm) cutter to cut out the centres, creating rings. Place the 12 solid discs on a parchment-lined baking sheet. Brush the tops lightly with water. Place a pastry ring on top of each solid disc, pressing gently to adhere. Refrigerate the assembled cases for 15 minutes. Reserve the 12 small inner discs to bake alongside as lids.
BAKE THE VOL-AU-VENT CASES
Preheat the oven to 425°F (220°C). Brush the tops of the pastry rings (not the cut sides) with egg wash. Bake for 15 minutes until well-risen and golden. Reduce the temperature to 375°F (190°C) and bake for a further 8–10 minutes until deeply golden all over. Remove from the oven and immediately use a small knife or spoon to press down and remove the soft inner pastry from each case, creating hollow shells. Return the hollow cases to the oven for 3–4 minutes to dry out and crisp the interiors — this addresses Paul's feedback that the pastry was 'about two minutes away from being perfect.' Transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.
MAKE THE PECAN PRALINE
Line a baking sheet with parchment or a silicone mat. Spread the pecans on a separate tray and toast in the oven at 350°F (175°C) for 6–8 minutes until fragrant. In a small saucepan, combine the sugar and water. Cook over medium-high heat without stirring until the sugar dissolves, then swirl the pan occasionally until the caramel turns deep amber, about 5–7 minutes. Immediately stir in the toasted pecans and the pinch of flaky salt. Pour onto the prepared baking sheet and spread quickly. Allow to cool completely and harden, about 15 minutes. Once hardened, break into pieces and pulse in a food processor to a coarse rubble — some larger chunks and some fine crumbs for textural variety.
MAKE THE CITRUS CREAM CHEESE FILLING
In a medium bowl, beat the cream cheese with the sifted icing sugar until smooth and fluffy, about 2 minutes with an electric mixer. Beat in the orange zest, mandarin juice, orange juice, orange liqueur, cardamom, clove, and vanilla until well combined. In a separate chilled bowl, whip the heavy cream to soft peaks. Gently fold the whipped cream into the cream cheese mixture in two additions, being careful not to deflate it. The filling should be light and mousse-like. Transfer to a piping bag fitted with a star nozzle if desired, or cover and refrigerate until ready to fill.
ASSEMBLE THE VOL-AU-VENTS
Ensure the pastry cases are completely cool. Pipe or spoon the citrus cream cheese filling into each case, mounding it slightly above the rim. Scatter a generous amount of pecan praline over the top of each vol-au-vent, pressing gently so it adheres. Place a supremed mandarin or clementine segment on top. Finish with a curl of orange zest and an edible flower if desired. Serve within 1–2 hours of assembly for the crispest pastry.