Chocolate Religieuse (Religieuse au chocolat)
Religieuse au chocolat Say it: ruh-lee-ZHYUZ oh shoh-koh-LAH
A religieuse is a classic Parisian pâtisserie made from two choux buns—one large, one small—stacked to resemble a nun in a habit. The buns are filled with silky vanilla pastry cream, dipped in glossy chocolate, and joined with a ruff of whipped cream. You find them in French bakeries year-round, especially for celebrations. The contrast of crisp choux, cool cream, and deep chocolate makes it both playful and elegant.
Chocolate Religieuse (Religieuse au chocolat)
Religieuse au chocolat
Pronounced ruh-lee-ZHYUZ oh shoh-koh-LAH
- Serves
- 6
- Prep
- 45 min
- Cook
- 1 hr
- Total
- 1 hr 45 min
- Level
- Medium
Also nut-free.
Allergens: contains gluten, milk, egg. Check labels on packaged ingredients.
Ingredients
Amounts are scaled. Cooking times and pan sizes stay the same.
Pastry cream
Choux pastry
Chocolate glaze
Whipped cream collar
Method
Make the pastry cream. warm the milk with the vanilla bean and seeds (or vanilla extract) in a saucepan until steaming but not boiling. In a bowl, whisk the egg yolks, sugar, and cornstarch until pale. Slowly pour in a third of the hot milk while whisking, then return everything to the pan.
Cook over medium heat, whisking constantly, until the cream bubbles and thickens to a pudding consistency, 2–3 minutes; remove from heat, whisk in the butter, and scrape into a bowl. Press plastic wrap onto the surface and chill at least 2 hours.
Make the choux. preheat oven to 375°F (190°C) and line two baking sheets with parchment. Heat the water, milk, butter, salt, and sugar in a saucepan until the butter melts and the mixture boils. Add the flour all at once and stir vigorously with a wooden spoon until the dough pulls away from the sides and a thin film forms on the pan bottom, 1–2 minutes.
Scrape the dough into a bowl and cool for 5 minutes. Beat in the eggs a little at a time, stopping when the dough is glossy, thick, and falls from the spoon in a slow ribbon; you may not need all the egg. Transfer to a piping bag fitted with a 1/2-inch (1.5 cm) round tip.
Pipe six 1 1/2-inch (4 cm) rounds and six 1-inch (2.5 cm) rounds onto the sheets, leaving 2 inches (5 cm) between them. Smooth the tops with a wet fingertip. Bake until deep golden, puffed, and hollow-sounding when tapped: 30–35 minutes for the large buns and 22–25 minutes for the small ones. Cool completely on a rack.
Fill the buns. poke a small hole in the base of each cooled bun with a small knife or piping tip. Fit a piping bag with a small round tip, fill with chilled pastry cream, and pipe into each bun until it feels heavy and the cream just begins to show at the hole.
Make the chocolate glaze. heat the cream until just simmering, pour it over the chopped chocolate and butter, add the corn syrup if using, and let stand 2 minutes. Stir gently until smooth and glossy; let cool until thick enough to coat the back of a spoon but still pourable.
Dip the top of each bun in the glaze, let the excess drip off, and set glaze-side up on a rack. Let the glaze set at room temperature while you whip the cream.
Whip the cold cream with the sugar and vanilla to medium-firm peaks. Pipe a ring of whipped cream around the top edge of each large bun, set a small bun on top, then pipe a small collar of cream at the base of the small bun and a tiny rosette on top.
Chill the religieuses for 20–30 minutes to firm the cream, then serve the same day.
Regional variants
Classic versions use coffee or chocolate fondant glaze, and some modern pâtisseries flavor the cream with praline, rose, or pistachio.
Cook's notes
- Keep the choux dough warm and pipe it while still soft; cold dough pipes unevenly and bakes into irregular buns.
- Bake the choux thoroughly—pale buns collapse once filled. They should feel light and sound hollow when tapped.
- For the cleanest stack, let the glaze set fully before adding the whipped cream collar.
Serve with
Coffee, tea, or a small glass of sparkling wine.
Make ahead and storage
Pastry cream can be made up to 2 days ahead and baked choux buns freeze well for up to 1 month. Assemble and glaze the same day for the crispest texture.
