Homemade Celebration Vol-au-Vents

Line two large baking trays with baking parchment. On a lightly floured surface, roll out the puff pastry block until it is slightly thicker than a £1 coin.

Use an 8cm round cutter to mark out 12 circles. If the pastry isn't wide enough, roll it out a little thinner and wider until you can fit all 12. Once positioned, stamp the circles out completely and arrange them on the prepared baking trays, leaving space between each.

Use a 6cm round cutter to gently mark a smaller circle in the center of each pastry disc. Be very careful to only press halfway through the pastry rather than cutting all the way to the bottom. At this point, the cases can be chilled for up to two days or frozen for a month.

Preheat your oven to 200°C (180°C fan/gas 6). Lightly brush the outer edges of each pastry disc with the beaten egg, making sure the egg doesn't drip into the marked-out centers, as this can prevent them from rising evenly.

Bake for 15–20 minutes, swapping the trays halfway through if one is browning faster than the other. The cases are ready when they are tall, puffed, and a deep golden brown.