Pear and Lavender Vol-au-vents

Today I have baked a first. These are some sugar sprinkled puff pastry vol-au-vent cases filled with chopped pear, lavender crème mousseline, and decorated with dried lavender flowers.

I'm not going to pretend that the vol-au-vent causes were without a hitch. Some didn't quite bake as intended, not managing to keep themselves stood up. However those that did were crisp, well browned and light with excellent layers. The small addition of sugar within the final turn and on top added just the right sweetness to bring out the taste of the pear and lavender cream. The flavours match better than I anticipated, and the change from a lightened crème patisserie to a buttery crème mousseline gives them a more indulgent finish. I am very pleased overall. Not perfect, but not bad for a first go either!