DessertCat
religieuse

Religieuse — stacked choux 'nun' pastry

Religieuse — "the nun" — is a French patisserie classic: two choux puffs of different sizes, stacked, both filled with chocolate or coffee pastry cream, and joined with piped buttercream that looks like a nun's habit. The smaller puff sits atop the larger like a head.

i. Origin & history

Religieuse dates to the 19th century in Paris, where Frascati's tea room in the Rue de Richelieu is said to have invented it. The chocolate and coffee versions are both canonical.

ii. Ingredients

Makes 8 servings · scroll the side panel to adjust

  • Choux paste as for Paris-Brest
  • Beaten egg for glaze
  • 500 ml whole milk
  • 120 g sugar
  • 60 g flour
  • 2 eggs + 2 yolks
  • 100 g dark chocolate (or 4 tbsp strong coffee)
  • 2 tbsp unsalted butter (for cream)
  • 200 g icing sugar
  • 2 tbsp water + 1 tbsp coffee (or melted chocolate) for icing
  • 200 g unsalted butter, soft (for buttercream)
  • 100 g icing sugar
  • 2 tbsp coffee or cocoa

iii. Method

  1. Make choux paste. Pipe 8 large rounds (5 cm) and 8 small rounds (3 cm) onto lined trays. Brush with egg.
  2. Bake at 200 °C for 15 min then 170 °C for 15 min until risen and golden. Cool.
  3. Make pastry cream: warm milk; whisk yolks with sugar, flour, eggs; temper; cook to thick custard. Stir in chocolate (or coffee) and butter. Cool.
  4. Make a small hole in the base of each choux; pipe in pastry cream until heavy.
  5. Mix icing sugar with coffee/water to a thick glaze. Dip the top of each puff.
  6. Beat butter and icing sugar with coffee/cocoa to a smooth buttercream.
  7. Place small puff atop large puff. Pipe buttercream rosettes around the join to form the 'collar'.

iv. Tips & common mistakes

  • Use the freshest ingredients you can. The recipe relies on them.
  • Read the method through first. Several steps must be ready in advance.
  • Season patiently. Sweetness and salt are tuned at the end, not the start.

v. Variations

Chocolate religieuse uses chocolate cream. Coffee religieuse uses coffee. Modern religieuse uses passion fruit, pistachio, or other contemporary flavours.

vi. Common questions

What is religieuse?

Religieuse is stacked choux 'nun' pastry, from french cuisine. The smaller puff sits atop the larger like a head

Where is religieuse from?

Religieuse is from the french dessert tradition; the recipe and history are detailed above.

How long does religieuse keep?

See the storage note in the Quick facts panel: 1 day refrigerated.

vii. More from French