Chef-tested recipe
A smooth Jerusalem artichoke velouté served with golden Parmesan puff pastry.
Keep the soup smooth and the pastry crisp. A little lemon juice lifts the cream, while the toasted Parmesan adds a savoury finish. Make the pastry while the soup simmers and bring them together just before serving.
This is a smaller home batch of my Jerusalem artichoke velouté, paired with half a batch of my Parmesan Puff Pastry recipe. Use Jerusalem artichokes, also called sunchokes: the knobbly tubers described in the RHS Jerusalem artichoke guide. Globe artichokes are a different vegetable and need a different recipe.
Recipe at a glance
- Servings
- 6 starter portions, about 200 ml soup and 1 pastry each; approximately 1.25 litres of soup
- Prep Time
- 20 minutes
- Cook Time
- 40 minutes
- Total Time
- 60 minutes, with the pastry baking while the soup cooks; thawing time is additional
- Cuisine
- French-inspired
- Course
- Starter / Soup
- Cooking Method
- Sweating, simmering, blending and baking
- Difficulty
- Easy
- Best Served With
- One Parmesan puff per bowl. Serve as a starter before roast chicken, baked fish or a vegetable main; add a crisp green salad for a light lunch.
Before you begin
Ingredients & equipment
Gather what you need first, then cook through the method with confidence.
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Equipment
- Digital kitchen scales and measuring jug paid link
- Vegetable peeler, sharp knife and chopping board paid link
- Heavy-based saucepan, approximately 2.5–3 litres paid link
- Immersion blender or blender suitable for hot liquids paid link
- Fine sieve or chinois and ladle paid link
- Baking tray and baking paper paid link
- Pastry brush and fine grater paid link
- Wire cooling rack paid link
- Food thermometer paid link
- Six soup cups or small bowls paid link
Ingredients
- 500 g Jerusalem artichokes (sunchokes), peeled weight, thinly sliced
- 60 g shallots, finely sliced
- 40 g leek, white and pale green parts, washed and sliced
- 25 g unsalted butter, for sweating
- 5 g garlic, finely sliced
- 600 ml light unsalted vegetable stock, divided: 450 ml for cooking and up to 150 ml for adjustment paid link
- 125 ml whole milk
- 125 ml whipping cream, unsweetened
- 1 g fresh thyme sprig
- 1 small piece of bay leaf
- 4 g fine salt, plus more only if needed paid link
- 0.5 g ground white pepper, or to taste
- 12 g cold unsalted butter, diced, to finish
- 5 ml fresh lemon juice
- 4 g chives, finely sliced, optional garnish
- 250 g all-butter puff pastry, thawed and chilled, for the Parmesan puffs
- 40 g Parmesan, finely grated, for the puffs
- 25 g beaten whole egg, for a light pastry wash; use only as much as needed
- 0.5 g ground black pepper, optional, for the puffs
Preparation Overview
Prepare the vegetables and preheat the oven. Sweat the shallots and leek, then simmer the Jerusalem artichokes until very tender. Shape and bake the Parmesan pastry while the soup cooks. Blend and strain the soup, finish with cream and butter, and serve with the pastry added at the last moment.
Method
Prepare the vegetables and oven. Preheat the oven to 200°C conventional or 180°C fan, allowing it to heat fully. Line a baking tray with baking paper. Scrub and peel the Jerusalem artichokes, then weigh 500 g after peeling. Slice evenly, about 5 mm thick. If preparing them ahead, hold briefly in cold water and drain before cooking. Wash the leek thoroughly between its layers.
Sweat the aromatics. Melt the 25 g butter in a saucepan over low to medium-low heat. Add the shallots and leek and cook for 6–8 minutes, stirring, until soft without browning. Add the garlic and cook for 1 minute.
Simmer the soup. Add the sliced Jerusalem artichokes, 450 ml stock, milk, thyme and bay. Bring just to the boil, then immediately reduce to a gentle simmer. Cook partly covered for 20–25 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the artichokes crush easily with a spoon. Add a little of the reserved stock during cooking only if needed to keep the vegetables covered.
Shape the Parmesan puffs while the soup simmers. Keep the pastry cold. Roll or unfold it to an even 3–4 mm thickness and cut six equal rectangles with a sharp knife, pressing straight down. Shape them long enough to span your serving cups; the exact dimensions depend on the pastry sheet and cup. For a flatter pastry like the photograph, prick the centres lightly with a fork. Arrange on the lined tray with space between them. Brush the tops thinly with beaten egg, keeping the cut edges clean, then scatter evenly with Parmesan and optional black pepper. If softened, chill for 10 minutes before baking.
Bake the pastry. Bake for 18–22 minutes, until golden, crisp underneath and cooked through the layers. Follow the pastry producer’s instructions if they differ, and allow extra time if the centres are still doughy. Transfer to a wire rack for a few minutes so steam can escape.
Blend and strain. Remove the thyme stalk and bay from the soup. Take the pan off the heat and blend with an immersion blender until very smooth, keeping the blade submerged. Alternatively, use a blender approved for hot liquids, working in small batches according to its instructions. Pass through a fine sieve into a clean saucepan, pressing gently with a ladle.
Finish the velouté. Stir in the cream and warm gently. Add the remaining reserved stock a little at a time to reach a smooth, pourable consistency; you may not need all of it. Aim for approximately 1.25 litres. Remove from the heat and whisk in the 12 g cold butter. Add the lemon juice, 4 g salt and white pepper, then taste and adjust. Use less salt if the stock is already seasoned.
Serve. Ladle about 200 ml soup into each warmed cup or bowl. Add the optional chives, or leave the soup plain as pictured. Rest one Parmesan puff across the rim immediately before serving, keeping it above the soup so it stays crisp.
Beginner Technique Notes
Cook the artichokes until completely tender before blending; a blender cannot fully smooth out undercooked pieces.
Keep the shallots and leek pale to preserve the soup’s light colour.
Add the stock reserve gradually. The soup should pour easily and lightly coat a spoon.
Keep the pastry cold, cut cleanly and bake until its base is golden. The cheese may brown before thick pastry has cooked through.
Handle hot soup carefully when blending. Use an immersion blender or a jug blender specifically suitable for hot liquids.
For more on pastry handling, see Pepperidge Farm’s puff pastry tips and techniques.
Tips and Variations
Substitutions: replace the 60 g shallots with 60 g white onion. Grana Padano can replace Parmesan in the same quantity. Light chicken stock can replace vegetable stock if suitable for your guests.
Jerusalem artichokes are essential to this version. Canned or marinated globe artichoke hearts will give a different flavour and texture and are not a direct substitute.
For a lighter soup, replace the 125 ml cream with 125 ml extra whole milk; the result will be less rich.
For a vegetarian version, use vegetable stock and a hard cheese specifically labelled suitable for vegetarians.
To omit the egg wash, brush the pastry very lightly with milk. Check all pastry ingredients before describing the finished dish as egg-free.
Serving Ideas
- Serve in a warmed white cup or shallow bowl with one long Parmesan puff resting across the rim, as in the photograph. Add the pastry at the last moment to keep it crisp. For smaller reception portions, serve about 100 ml soup with a smaller pastry strip. Keep any chive garnish light and optional.
Storage
Soup: cool promptly in shallow containers, using an ice-water bath if needed, and refrigerate within 2 hours at 4°C or below. For this recipe, use within 2 days. Keep the pastry separate.
Reheat only the soup you need, stirring so it heats evenly. Reach at least 75°C and hold for 2 minutes, then serve promptly. Reheat once only. Add a little stock if the soup has thickened.
Pastry: best on the day it is baked. Once completely cool, keep in an airtight container in a cool, dry place for up to 2 days; refrigerate if the kitchen is warm or humid. Re-crisp at 180°C for 4–6 minutes, or until crisp and heated through. Avoid the microwave.
Make ahead: cook the soup base a day ahead and follow the cooling guidance above. Reheat thoroughly before adding the cream and finishing butter, then bring the completed soup back to the reheating temperature. Bake the pastry close to serving for the best texture.
The cooling and reheating guidance follows the Singapore Food Agency’s food safety tips and its A–Z food safety guide. The two-day refrigerated storage period is the practical recommendation used for this recipe.
Nutritional Value
The Jerusalem artichokes form the vegetable base. Butter, cream, cheese and puff pastry contribute much of the richness. Nutrition per serving will vary with the pastry and dairy products used, the final soup volume and the amount of egg wash that remains on the pastry.
Allergen Notes
Contains milk, wheat/gluten and egg. Check the puff pastry and stock labels for additional allergens, including celery or soy where present. The soup can be served without pastry, but it should only be described as gluten-free after checking every ingredient and avoiding cross-contact. The finished dish is not automatically vegetarian: choose a suitable cheese if required.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I use globe artichokes?
This recipe uses Jerusalem artichokes, also called sunchokes. Globe artichokes need a separately balanced recipe.
Do I need to peel the Jerusalem artichokes?
Peeling and weighing after preparation gives the smooth, pale finish intended here. Scrub them well first.
Why is my soup too thick?
The amount of evaporation varies. Add the reserved stock gradually after blending until the soup pours easily.
Can I make it ahead?
Yes. Prepare the soup base a day ahead, cool and refrigerate as directed, then reheat thoroughly. Bake the pastry close to serving.
Can I use frozen puff pastry?
Yes. Thaw it according to the packet instructions, preferably in the refrigerator, and keep it cold while shaping. Allow thawing time in addition to the recipe’s 60 minutes.
