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Orange & Chocolate Vol-au-Vents

These vol-au-vents are made from flaky pastry filled with rich and cream orange and chocolates creme patisserie
Prep Time 30 minutes
Cook Time 1 hour
Resting Time 2 hours
Total Time 3 hours 30 minutes
Course: Dessert

Ingredients
  

Rough Puff Pastry
  • 1 ⅓ cups All-Purpose Flour plus some for dusting
  • 1 Teaspoon Granulated Sugar
  • ½ Teaspoon salt
  • ¾ Cup Unsalted Butter freeze ½ Cup
  • 6 –8 Tablespoons Ice Cold Water
  • 1 Egg beaten
Orange and Chocolate Crème Patisserie
  • 1 ½ Cup whole milk
  • ¼ Cup sugar
  • ¼ Teaspoon salt
  • 1 Teaspoon vanilla extract
  • ½ Orange zested
  • 2 Tablespoon cup cornstarch
  • ½ Tablespoon all-purpose flour
  • 2 large egg yolks
  • 2 Tablespoon cup unsalted butter
  • ½ Cup bittersweet chocolate chopped
  • ½ Cup heavy cream whipped to soft peaks
Gingersnap Crumble
  • 2 ½ Cup All-Purpose Flour
  • 2 Teaspoon Baking Soda
  • 1 Teaspoon Ground Cinnamon
  • 2 Teaspoon Ground Ginger
  • ½ Teaspoon Ground Cloves
  • ½ Teaspoon Ground Cardamom
  • ¾ Teaspoon Salt
  • ¾ Cup Brown Sugar packed
  • ¾ Cup Unsalted Butter softened
  • ¼ Cup Molasses
  • 1 Egg
  • 2 Teaspoon Vanilla Extract
  • ¼ Cup Granulated Sugar
  • ½ Teaspoon Ground Cinnamon
Whipped Cream
  • 1 Cup Heavy Whipping Cream
  • 2 Tablespoons Powdered Sugar
  • ½ Teaspoon Pure Vanilla Extract

Equipment

  • 1 Stand Mixer
  • 1 Food Processor

Method
 

Rough Puff Pastry
  1. In a food processor, blitz together flour, sugar, and salt. Then add ¼ cup of the unsalted butter. Then, 1 tablespoon at a time, add water until the scraggly dough comes together.
  2. Turn dough out onto a lightly floured surface. One tablespoon at a time, add the remaining water while kneading the dough.
  3. After the dough comes together, spread the dough out into a 5 inch by 8 inch rectangle. Grate the frozen butter and keep it contained to one half of the block (a 5 inch by 4 inch section). Fold the dough in half to enclose the butter and lightly roll out the dough. Wrap and chill in the refrigerator for 1 hour.
  4. Roll out the dough into a 5 inch by 8 inch block and fold it into thirds (like a letter). Wrap and chill for 20 minutes. Repeat this step three more times.
  5. Preheat the oven to 375° Fahrenheit.
  6. Roll out the dough into ½ inch thickness and cut out X circles and X rings. Place a ring on top of each circle. Brush egg over the pastry. Bake for 8-10 minutes.
Orange and Chocolate Crème Patisserie
  1. In a saucepan, stir together 1 ¼ cup milk, sugar, salt, vanilla extract, and orange zest. Simmer over a medium-low heat until the sugar is fully dissolved.
  2. In a mixing bowl, whisk together cornstarch, flour, egg yolk, and remaining milk.
  3. While continuing to whisk, add ½ of the hot milk to the egg mixture. Let the eggs temper. Pour the egg mix back into the saucepan. Bring to a boil and let thicken (you will feel a little resistance).
  4. Remove from the heat and strain. Stir in butter and chocolate chips. Cover and set in the refrigerator until cool.
  5. In a mixing bowl, whisk heavy cream until it reaches soft peaks. Fold cream into the crème patisserie.
Gingersnap Crumble
  1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit.
  2. In a large bowl, mix flour, baking soda, ground cinnamon, ground ginger, ground cloves, ground cloves, ground cardamom, salt. Whisk together and set aside.
  3. In a mixer bowl, cream the butter, brown sugar, and molasses until light in color and fluffy in texture.
  4. Reduce mixer speed to low and add egg and vanilla extract. Mix until the ingredients are evenly distributed (some scraping might be needed).
  5. Add flour mixture into the mixer bowl and then set the speed to medium. Mix until just combined. Make sure to scrape the bowl to mix in any remaining flour.
  6. In a small bowl, mix sugar and ¼ teaspoon cinnamon.
Whipped Cream
  1. In a mixer bowl, whisk together heavy cream, powdered sugar, and vanilla extract until medium peaks are achieved.
Assembly
  1. Fill the pastry shell with the chocolate and orange crème Patisserie.
  2. Using a piping bag, decorate the top with whipped cream. Sprinkle the gingersnap crumble on top.