Mushroom, Chicken and Cheese Vol-au-Vent

How to make it

We’ve cheated in this cheese vol-au-vent recipe, using ready-made puff pastry and pre-cooked chicken. But the filling is the star of the show. Made with rich triple-cream Bix it’s a total showstopper.

Filling preparation

• In a frying pan, fry off the mushrooms with a little oil, until they have soaked up all moisture
• Put to one side to cool

Pastry preparation

• Preheat the oven to 400°F/200°C/Gas Mark 6
• Lightly flour a clean surface
• Unfold a puff pastry sheet
• Using a smooth, round cutter, cut out 12 circles – you may need to re fold and roll to get 12
• With 6 of the circles, use a smaller cutter to take out the middle, so you have six circular rings
• Place the rings on top of the six untouched circles. This is the basic shape of the vol-au-vent before adding the filling
• Whisk up egg and milk, and then brush the mixture over the pastry
• Ideally, chill for 15-30 minutes before baking
• Bake for 15 mins until light golden

Assembly

• Mix the cheese with the chicken and some of the mushrooms
• Add salt and pepper to taste
• Spoon some of the filling into each par-baked vol-au-vent
• Place the remaining mushrooms on the surface in a nice decoration
• Put back into the oven for another 5-7 minutes, or until the cheese is bubbling and each cheese vol-au-vent is a nice darker brown
• Finish each with a slice of cucumber and a sprig of fresh parsley
• Serve warm

Other cheese party foods

These Goats Cheese Tarts are a great spring or summer dish, light and fluffy pastry with a creamy flavour and fluffy texture.

Pin Wheels are great as party appetisers or as snacks, and they are simple to make and can even be frozen so that you can throw them in the oven when unexpected guests turn up.

The combination of salty bacon, sweet date and savoury Bocconcino di Langa make these cheese wrapped dates totally scrumptious.