Flaky, golden puff pastry with a rich seafood filling that feels quietly luxurious. Sweet crab and lobster fold into creamy crème fraîche, brightened with lemon and dill. These crab and lobster vol-au-vents are generous, satisfying canapés that disappear quickly once the tray hits the table. Part of Elliotts’s trio of canapes:
- Crispy fried goats’ curd and cranberry money bags
- Crab and lobster vol-au-vents
- Twice-baked baby potatoes with soured cream and trout roe
Prep:25 minutes
Cook:20 minutes
Serves:Serves 12
Dietary:Nut-free
By Elliott GroverFrom Saturday Kitchen Recipes
These crab and lobster vol-au-vents score a Nutri-Score C. The puff pastry and crème fraîche add fat, while the shellfish contribute lean protein and minerals. Estimated per vol-au-vent: 135 kcal, fat 9g, saturates 5g, carbs 9g, sugars 0.5g, protein 5g.
Equipment
Ingredients
- 1 tbsp plain flour, for dusting
- 320g all-butter puff pastry, ready-rolled and chilled
- 1 free-range egg, beaten
- 1½ tbsp full-fat crème fraîche
- ¼ tsp lemon zest
- ½–1 tsp lemon juice
- ½ tbsp fresh dill, very finely chopped, plus extra to garnish
- 1 pinch salt
- 1 pinch white pepper
- 60g cooked lobster meat, finely chopped
- 60g cooked white crab meat, well-picked
- 1–2 drops Tabasco or a pinch cayenne pepper (optional)
Customise
- Swap lobster for extra crab to keep costs down.
- Replace dill with chives for a softer herb note.
- Add a touch of English mustard for gentle warmth.
Method
Prepare the pastry cases (20 minutes – can be done ahead)
- Heat the oven to 220°C (200°C fan) and line a baking tray with baking paper so the pastry lifts cleanly.
- Roll the pastry on a lightly floured surface until it is about 3–4mm thick. Keep it cold; that helps the layers puff.
- Cut the bases using a large round cutter and place them straight onto the tray.
- Create the rings by cutting more rounds, then punching out the centres with a smaller cutter.
- Build the cases by brushing the bases with egg, topping with a ring, and brushing the tops only. Avoid the sides so the pastry rises evenly.
- Bake until golden for 12–15 minutes for mini cases or up to 18 minutes for medium ones. If the centres puff, gently press them down while warm.
- Cool completely on a wire rack before filling.
Make the filling and assemble (10 minutes)
- Mix the base by stirring together crème fraîche, lemon zest, lemon juice, dill, salt and white pepper until smooth.
- Fold gently in the lobster, crab and Tabasco so the seafood stays chunky.
- Spoon and finish by filling each vol-au-vent with about a teaspoon of the mixture and garnish with extra dill.
Little bites. Big smiles.
FAQs for Crab and Lobster Vol-au-Vents
- Can I reheat filled vol-au-vents? No, reheat the cases only and add filling fresh.
- What size cutter works best? Around 6–7cm for party-sized vol-au-vents.
