Definition

1. Noun:
   • A small, hollow case of puff pastry, typically round or oval, that is baked until light and crisp and then filled with a savory mixture, often containing meat, fish, or vegetables in a sauce.

Usage Examples

• Noun:
  • For the appetizer, the chef prepared individual vol-au-vents filled with creamy chicken and mushrooms.
  • The classic French vol-au-vent is often served as a elegant first course at dinner parties.

Advanced Usage

• As a culinary term: "Vol-au-vent" specifically refers to the pastry shell itself. The dish named after it consists of this shell plus its filling.
  • The key to a perfect vol-au-vent is ensuring the pastry puffs up high without collapsing.

Variants and Related Words

• Puff pastry (n): The light, flaky pastry dough used to make a vol-au-vent.
  • She made the vol-au-vent shells from scratch using homemade puff pastry.

Synonyms

• Puff pastry case/shell: A descriptive synonym emphasizing the container.
• Boucheée: A very small, bite-sized version of a vol-au-vent.

Notes on Meaning

• The term "vol-au-vent" is of French origin, literally meaning "flight in the wind," which describes the pastry's lightness.
• It is a specific type of pastry dish and is not used metaphorically in common English.

Noun

1. puff paste shell filled with a savory meat mixture usually with a sauce