Religieuses (Cream-Filled Pastries)
Religieuses are classic French choux pastries made from two cream-filled puffs stacked and glazed to resemble a figure in a habit — which is how they got their name, meaning "nuns." Each pastry is piped with pastry cream, coated in fondant icing, and finished with a ring of buttercream. Plan for about 2 hours from start to finish.
Equipment
- Oven
- Baking sheet
- Piping Bag with Round Nozzle
- Mixing Bowls
- Whisk
- Saucepan
Ingredients
Choux Pastry
- 1 cup water preferably filtered
- ½ cup unsalted butter cut into cubes
- 1 tablespoon sugar
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- 1 cup all-purpose flour sifted
- 4 large eggs at room temperature
Pastry Cream
- 2 cups whole milk
- ½ cup sugar
- 2 tablespoons cornstarch
- 1 tablespoon all-purpose flour
- 4 large egg yolks
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract pure
- 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
Chocolate Ganache
- 4 ounces dark chocolate finely chopped
- ½ cup heavy cream
Instructions
For the Choux Pastry:
- Preheat the oven to 375°F (190°C). Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
- In a saucepan over medium heat, combine water, butter, sugar, and salt. Stir until butter melts completely.
- Add the flour all at once and stir vigorously with a wooden spoon until the mixture forms a ball and pulls away from the sides of the pan.
- Transfer the dough to a mixing bowl. Let it cool slightly. Beat in the eggs one at a time, ensuring each is fully incorporated before adding the next.
- Transfer the dough into a piping bag fitted with a round nozzle. Pipe small rounds for the top and larger rounds for the base onto the baking sheet. Bake for 25-30 minutes or until puffed and golden. Cool on wire racks.
For the Pastry Cream:
- In a saucepan, combine milk and half the sugar. Bring to a simmer.
- In a bowl, whisk together the remaining sugar, cornstarch, flour, and egg yolks until smooth.
- Gradually whisk the hot milk into the egg mixture. Return to saucepan and cook over medium heat, stirring constantly until thickened.
- Remove from heat, stir in vanilla and butter until smooth. Cool before using.
For the Chocolate Ganache:
- Heat the cream in a saucepan until it just begins to simmer.
- Pour over the chopped chocolate. Let sit for a minute then stir until smooth.
Assembly:
- Fill a piping bag with cooled pastry cream, pierce each choux and fill.
- Dip the tops of the choux in chocolate ganache. Stack small choux on top of larger ones.
- Optional: Decorate further with piped frosting or whipped cream if desired.
Notes
- For a richer flavor, use a high-quality vanilla bean instead of extract by infusing it with the milk.
- For a lighter cream, fold in some whipped cream gently before filling.
Nutrition
Calories: 487kcalCarbohydrates: 39gProtein: 10gFat: 33gSaturated Fat: 19gPolyunsaturated Fat: 2gMonounsaturated Fat: 9gTrans Fat: 1gCholesterol: 247mgSodium: 146mgPotassium: 275mgFiber: 2gSugar: 21gVitamin A: 1023IUVitamin C: 0.1mgCalcium: 128mgIron: 3mg
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