Pâtissière Religieuse
This is a divine cream puff that is celebrated throughout France as a wonderful little religious cake called Pâtissière Religieuse. They are individually handmade with choux pastry in the likeness of "plump nuns". There are many ways to build pastry parts into delectable treats like these Choux Buns (Profiteroles), or Paris Brest, using French creations like Crème Pâtissière, and Pastry Dough.
❤️About This Recipe
These popular sweets are crafted with one larger puff on the bottom and a smaller one on top. A layer or two of whipped cream in between the puffs, then topped with strategically drizzled ganache. The layers are tied together with drizzle icing or buttercream icing in various flavors and colors of the baker's choice.
However, this is home cooking so we will be forgiven for not being quite as professional as the great chefs, but I can assure you they will be absolutely gorgeous to eat.
The name Religieuse originally came from the violet color of the Cardinal's robes. Today they are often made in pink with rose-flavored icing and whipped cream filling, chocolate flavored, coffee flavor, or anything you like.
If you have seen them in the shops in Paris you will know how appealing they are.
You have probably seen eclairs in bake shops and these luscious cream puffs are the same wonderful taste, just dressed differently.
Additional Pastry Recipes To Revel In
📖 Recipe
Prep Like a Pro
Before you start cooking, chop, measure, and prep every ingredient, and gather your tools.
This simple habit reduces stress, prevents overcooking, and instantly improves your meals. Mise en Place - "Everything in its place."
Religieuse Cakes
Ingredients
Make These First
- Choux pastry For instructions
- 1 cup (8tbsp/113gr) unsalted butter, cut into 8 pieces
- ½ cup (120ml)water
- ½ cup (120ml) 2% or whole milk
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 2 teaspoon granulated sugar
- 1 cup (125g) all-purpose flour (spooned & leveled)
- 4 large eggs, beaten
- 1 egg wash: 1 egg beaten with 1 Tablespoon milk or water
- Crème pâtissière For instructions
- 2 egg yolks
- 2 oz (50 gram/¼ cup) castor sugar
- 1 oz (25 gr/¼ cup) plain flour
- ½ pt (1 cup) milk
- A few drops of vanilla essence/extract (optional)
For The Icing
- icing sugar
- a little water
- flavorings of your choice, see notes
Instructions
- Make the Choux Pastry
- Make the Crème pâtissière.
- When you have made your choux pastry, spoon the batter out or use a piping bag to form the pastries onto a parchment lined baking sheet.
- Make some bigger for the bottoms and some smaller for the tops. Perhaps using a dessert spoon for the bottoms and a teaspoon for the tops.
- Place sheet in the oven for 15-20 minutes depending on the size, until golden brown.
- When they are done baking, allow to cool completely before filling with the flavor of your choice.
- When the crème pâtissière has cooled down, flavor it with a few drops of rose water and a drop of pink coloring and simply fill your puffs with the cream, or use whatever flavoring you like. (see notes for suggestions)
- For the icing simply add your flavor and color to some icing sugar with a few drops of water. Mix until you have the right consistency which should be nice and thick but not too dry as you need to either spread it on your buns, or dip your buns in it or drizzle it on your buns.
- When it has set, pipe some icing between the two buns.
- When the icing has dried your lovely Religieuse cakes are ready to eat!
Notes
- I have entered 12 as the number of puffs that can be made with this recipe, but this all depends on how big you make each one.
- chocolate powder or cooled melted chocolate pieces, cooled coffee or instant coffee powder, almond and/or vanilla extract, fruit flavor from fruit liquors, caramel flavor from caramel sauce thickened with icing sugar
Loved it, tweaked it, or not your "cup of tea"... I’d really love to hear how it went for you.