Looking for a fun fresh dessert to make at home? With strawberry season in full swing, access to some of the best berries at Raymont's Berries in Kingsville, and the new vol-au-vent puff pastry shells we have from Boulangerie Le Marquis in Montreal, there's no excuse to not try our easy DIY version of Strawberry Shortcakes.
Vol-au-vents (French for "flight of wind" were a popular British snack back in the 1970s). They seem complicated, but they are simply pre-baked puff pastry shells created by cutting out a circle of dough, and topping it with another circle of dough that has had its middle cut out, then prefacing it before filling it. Making it a fast and easy way to make some fun desserts. Fill them with your favourite nut-butter, savoury tart filling, or turn them into a light an airy take on "Strawberry Shortcakes":
Ingredients:
vol-au-vent pastry shells
can of coconut cream
1 tbsp maple syrup/honey (optional)
fresh strawberries
How To:
Place the can of coconut cream in your fridge overnight (this causes the solids to separate from the liquid, allowing you to scoop off the top solids, to turn into whip cream)
Clean and hull strawberries.
Make your whip cream: open the cold can of coconut cream, scoop off the solids into a mixing bowl, add your maple syrup/honey if desired, and lightly whip until smooth.
Assembly: divide your whip cream into vol-au-vent shells, and top with berries.
ENJOY!!
Watch an unboxing of Le Marquis here:
Croissant ASMR (here how crunchy/flakey their pastry really is!!):