A vol-au-vent (pronounced, French for "windblown" to describe its lightness) is a small hollow case of puff pastry. Vols-au-vent are typically made by cutting two circles in rolled out puff pastry, cutting a hole in one of them, then stacking the ring-shaped piece on top of the disc-shaped piece. This pastry is usually found filled with savory ingredients, but can also have a sweet filling.
The pastry and its catchy name vol-au-vent were invented by Antonin Carême in his pastry-shop opened in the rue de la Paix in Paris in 1803–04.