690. Vols-au-Vent of all things in pastry require the most care and precision; they that can make a good vol-au-vent may be stamped as good pastrycooks, although many variations in working puff paste, all others are of secondary importance. Make a pound of puff paste, giving it seven rolls and a half, leave it an inch in thickness, make a mark upon the top either round or oval, and according to the size of your dish; then, with a sharp-pointed knife, cut it out from the paste, holding the knife with the point slanting outwards; turn it over, mark the edges with the back of your knife, and place it upon a baking-sheet, which you have sprinkled with water; egg over the top, then dip the point of the knife into hot water, and cut a ring upon the top a quarter of an inch deep, and half an inch from the edge of the vol-au-vent, set in a rather hot oven, if getting too much color, cover over with a sheet of paper, do not take it out before done, or it would fall, but when quite set, cut off the lid, and empty it with a knife; be careful to make no hole in the side or bottom; if for first course it is ready, but if for second sift sugar all over, which glaze with the salamander. Regulate the thickness of the paste from which you cut the vol-au-vent, according to the size you require it, the smaller ones of course requiring thinner paste. A vol-au-vent for entrées will take about half an hour to bake, and as the common iron ovens often throw out more heat upon one side than the other, it will require turning two or three times to cause it to rise equal; it ought to be when baked of a light gold color.