Crunchy, buttery cashews, tender chicken and crisp broccoli surrounded by a luscious Gouda Cream Sauce served in flaky, melt-in-your mouth puff pastry shells. An elegant dinner that looks difficult to make, but it’s really pretty simple and oh so delicious!
Vols-au-Vent, pronounced voool-oh-vaw, are little puff pastry shells you can fill with sweet or savory fillings. I made dinner size shells and filled them with creamy cashew chicken.
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The shells are easy to make with frozen puff pastry sheets available at most supermarkets. You can make them round, but I used a flower cookie cutter to give them a pretty ruffled edge.
I created this recipe for the Cache Valley® Signature Recipe Contest! and it was chosen as one of two $1,000 winners! Thanks Cache Valley! So glad you loved this recipe as much as my family.
I can’t say enough good things about Cache Valley products, especially their new Gouda cheese. It melts like a dream and adds a creamy, buttery, richness to the sauce. It would be fabulous in your favorite mac and cheese recipe, or melted over your favorite sandwich.
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Creamy Cashew Chicken Puffs (Vols-au-Vents)
Ingredients
Puff Pastry Shells
- 1 package 2 sheets frozen puff pastry sheets
- 1 egg
- 1 tablespoon water
Gouda Cream Sauce
- 2 tablespoons butter
- 2 tablespoons flour
- 1 cup half and half
- 5 slices Cache Valley Gouda Cheese
Creamy Cashew Chicken
- 3 tablespoons Cache Valley butter
- ½ cup cashew nuts coarsely chopped
- 2 cups uncooked chicken chopped
- 1 cup broccoli chopped into small bite size pieces
- ½ cup red onion diced
- ½ teaspoon crushed rosemary leaves
- ¼ cup water
- ½ cup Gouda Cream Sauce recipe above
Instructions
- Puff Pastry Shells
- Thaw puff pastry sheets according to package directions. Preheat oven to 400º. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper and set aside.
- On a lightly floured surface, roll each sheet of dough into a rectangle approximately 11"x 8". Using a 3.5" round cookie cutter cut 6 large circles in each sheet.
- Inside 6 of the circles, using a 2.5" round cookie cutter, cut a hole in the middle to make rings. The rings will become the sides of the vols-au-vent and the solid rounds will be the bottoms.
- Mix together egg and tablespoon of water to create an egg wash. Put the solid bottom rounds on baking sheet. Brush the bottom rounds lightly with egg wash. Top each bottom round with a ring and press gently into place. Brush the top of the rings lightly with egg wash. Prick the center of the shells with a fork. Place shells in the refrigerator until ready to bake.
- Gouda Cream Sauce
- Melt 2 tablespoons butter in a small, heavy saucepan over medium-high heat. Add flour. Cook over low heat, stirring, for 4 to 5 minutes.
- Slowly add half and half, stirring constantly until thick and smooth, about 2 minutes. Reduce heat to low and stir in Gouda slices until smooth and creamy.
- Add additional half and half if necessary to thin sauce to desired consistency. Salt and pepper to taste
- Creamy Cashew Chicken
- In large skillet, heat 1 tablespoon butter and cook cashews until lightly toasted, 2 to 3 minutes. Remove cashews from pan and set aside.
- Melt remaining 2 tablespoons butter in the skillet. Add chicken and onions, sauté stirring occasionally, until chicken is cooked through and onions are tender.
- Add water, broccoli, and rosemary. Cover and cook until broccoli is tender, 4 to 6 minutes. Remove from heat. Add toasted cashews and ½ cup Gouda Cream Sauce. Stir to combine.
To assemble Creamy Cashew Chicken Puffs:
- Make puff pastry shells and put in the refrigerator to chill. Bake shells 15–20 minutes until they have risen and are golden brown.
- Remove from the oven and prick the center of the shells to deflate center. Spoon Creamy Cashew Chicken into shells and drizzle with remaining Gouda Cream Sauce. Serve immediately.
Visit Cache Valley’s Facebook page to see the top 20 winning recipes.
Lisa
Congratulation on the 1k win, Barb! Personally, I think they’re priceless. What a fantastic recipe! The combo of chicken with cashews has always been a favorite (Chinese take-out), so this is a completely new way to try it. LOVE the gouda sauce! This brings back memories of the ’09 DB challenge for Vols-au-Vents, where I made like 5 lbs of puff pastry and enough Vols-au-Vents fillings to cater 200 guest wedding lol
Angie's Recipes
That looks terrific! I love the cream sauce.
Cathy at Wives with Knives
Congratulations, Barbara! I can see why this amazing recipe was chosen a winner. This dish is so elegant and using premade puff pastry eliminates a huge part of the work involved. I think this would make a lovely New Year’s Eve supper. Bookmarked.
Mary
Congrats on the win! These are simply delicious looking – a wonderful dish. I just discovered your blog and love it – I’ve signed up to follow and looking forward to more!
mary x
Renata
I just love your flower shaped vol-au-vent! And they sound so good! Definitely bookmarked!
Tracy Thomas
These are the prettiest vol au vents I have ever seen! I remember them from the 1970’s…!
Valérie ( France )
Ils sont superbes et le feuilleté est bien réussi
Je te souhaite une belle après midi
Valérie
Claire @ Claire K Creations
I love anything with puff pastry. The flower shape looks so pretty. I’m thinking little versions of these would be very cute.
Melanie
Congratulations on the win!!! I love chicken and cashews together in anything usually. I don’t believe I’ve ever tried Gouda before. These look so pretty and perfect for dinner or as an appetizer.
Delishhh
Love these – what an awesome appetizer!
Kim
Congratulations on winning the prize money! I really am very happy for you. I think these vols-au-vents look so pleasing. I can see why you won with them.
natalie (the sweets life)
congrats on winning–well-deserved, this looks great!
Annalise
I made some vols au vent a few years ago for a Daring Bakers challenge (though I did a more sweet filling, of course). They’re so fun to make, and so tasty. I love what you’ve done with yours, they sound absolutely divine!
JG
These look delicious! Congrats!
~Judy
Kitchen Belleicious
Yeah on the win! You deserve it and these look like the ultimate appetizer. Ultimate!
Kathia
I love these Barbara! I am having company in a few weeks, these will be perfect appetizers.
Erin
How interesting and different. Would never think to have cashew chicken in a cream sauce and on top of a puff but it’s amazing!
Becky at Vintage Mixer
Ummm.. These look outstanding! I love Cashew Chicken. Brilliant idea with the puff pastry shells too.
Jersey Girl Cooks
Congrats on the win. It looks beautiful and delicious.
Rosa
Yuuuummmmyyy! That is a retro speciality I adore! I love this version with cashews.
Cheers,
Rosa