Featured Recipe
Chocolate Religieuses Twist
By Kate
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Choux piled with airy, chocolate custard adapted with reduced sugar. Cornstarch replaced partly by arrowroot for cleaner set. Egg yolks cut back to 2 for lighter texture. Cream swapped for coconut cream, giving subtle tropical richness. Ganache enriched with pinch cinnamon and a dash of espresso powder to deepen chocolate complexity. Baking times adjusted slightly to ensure golden crisp shells without sogginess. Techniques focus on tactile and visual doneness cues, avoiding timers where possible. Moisture control tips, piping guidance, and storage advice included for best results. Emphasis on practical swaps in allergy-sensitive kitchen setups.
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Prep:
55 min
Cook:
50 min
Total:
Serves:
12 servings
chocolate
dessert
pastry
French
Introduction
Sugar blended with arrowroot, whisked into yolks cold off heat—starting custard step tightens control on texture; no lumps, no scrambles. Chocolate melted in hot custard—swirls dark and thick like a river flowing smooth. Piping choux is rhythm—small rounds first, neat and light, then bigger blobs. Oven warmed to 365 with patience, shells crisp and dry. That slight crackle in larger puffs signals drying interior is perfect—door ajar to trap gentle heat around. Ganache waits rich, spiced gently with cinnamon and espresso powder—deep notes curl with chocolate comfort. Cream whipped till it pleads with peaks, folded only just right to keep air. Filling from beneath with precision, then dipping tops in ganache rich enough to gloss but never flood. Stack small on large—height with balance. Chill, cover, serve quick. Avoid soggy pitfalls. Technique reveals art—timing by eye and feel, not seconds on clock.
Ingredients
Light Chocolate Custard
- 50 g (1/4 cup) sugar
- 20 ml (1 1/2 tbsp) arrowroot powder
- 2 egg yolks
- 250 ml (1 cup) whole milk
- 100 g (3 1/2 oz) bittersweet chocolate, chopped
- 200 ml (7 fl oz) coconut cream
- 2 recipes basic choux dough
- 110 ml (7/8 cup) coconut cream
- 15 ml (1 tbsp) butter
- 1/4 tsp ground cinnamon
- 1/2 tsp instant espresso powder
- Small chocolate sprinkles or edible gold flakes (optional)
Choux Pastry
Ganache
About the ingredients
Sugar cut roughly 30 percent, enough sweetness balanced by bittersweet chocolate and coconut cream’s mild natural sugar. Switched some corn starch out for arrowroot; it gels more cleanly, less pasty. Eggs reduced by one yolk helps custard stay airy once folded with cream. Coconut cream replaces half the usual heavy cream—adds silky texture plus extra dimension. Butter remains for mouthfeel in ganache, but added cinnamon and espresso lift deep flavors subtly, mimicking faint warmth and bitterness found in advanced pastry play. Sprinkles optional but can offer textural contrast—edible gold flakes bring a light luxury. Choux dough unchanged; best classic shell base. All substitutions meter flavor and allergen concerns strategically for flexible kitchen.
Method
Light Chocolate Custard
- Start whisking sugar and arrowroot in a cold pot off the heat to combine evenly. Add egg yolks, blend vigorously. Slowly pour in cold milk, no lumps. Heat medium, stir constantly. Watch carefully—edges and bottom will thicken, small bubbles forming around 80°C/175°F. Don't stop stirring or you'll get curdled bits. At that point, remove immediately. Strain if necessary to catch any rogue lumps. While still hot, add chopped chocolate. Stir till melted and fully smooth. Transfer into a bowl. Cover surface tightly with plastic wrap to avoid skin formation. Let cool slightly at room temp, then chill minimum 2 hours until thick but still pliable.
- Set rack mid-oven, preheat to 185°C (365°F). Line 2 trays with silicone mats or parchment. Pipe 12 small mounds, about 2.3 cm (just under 1 inch), spaced adequately so steam can circulate. Bake 22–24 minutes till deep golden and firm to touch but not dark. No jiggling when gently shaken. Leave on tray to cool.
- Next, pipe 12 larger blobs— around 4.5 cm (1 3/4 in). Same spacing. Same oven temp. Bake 22–24 minutes until rich brown, crisp exterior. Turn oven off, door ajar propped open with wooden utensil to dry shells for 25 minutes. This dries interiors without cracking. Cool fully on trays before next steps.
- Place chopped chocolate in a heatproof bowl. Heat coconut cream just to boiling point; small bubbles appearing at edges. Pour cream directly over chocolate. Let sit unmoved 90 seconds—do not stir yet. Begin folding carefully with silicone spatula from center out until completely smooth. Stir in butter, cinnamon, and espresso powder for depth and warmth. Let rest to thicken to dipping consistency but still fluid at room temp.
- Whisk the chilled chocolate custard briskly to loosen texture. In a separate bowl, whip remaining coconut cream till it holds firm peaks—don’t overbeat or it will split. Fold two-thirds of whipped cream gently but quickly into custard until uniform lightness retained.
- Fill a piping bag fitted with a 1 cm plain tip with about one third of whipped cream alone. Use tip to poke a hole beneath each small puff carefully. Pipe cream to fill, watch for gentle resistance indicating near full. Set aside filled small choux.
- Mix remaining whipped cream into custard gently. Transfer all back into piping bag, same tip. Fill large choux bottoms using same poke-through method. Adjust pressure to avoid overfilling and cracking shells.
- Dip large puff tops into ganache—shake excess off with gentle flicks of wrist. Arrange dipped tops on platter. Repeat dipping with small puffs; stack atop larger ones forming classic two-tiered religieuse shapes. Quick sprinkle edible accents if using.
- Serve immediately or cover and refrigerate for a few hours, but avoid overnight storage to prevent soggy shells. Best on same day for maximum textural contrast.
- Arrowroot powder replaces some corn starch to tighten set without cloudiness. Coconut cream reduces dairy, adds subtle aroma and a touch of natural sweetness. Lowered sugar balances coconut's natural flavors. Cinnamon and espresso in ganache introduce unexpected complexity and balance chocolate bitterness—you can skip but recommended. Oven differences matter; look for rich golden colors and slight crackling sound as cues. Overbaking risks hollow brittle shell; underbaking results in soggy centers prone to collapse.
- When piping choux, cold dough holds shape better if mixed well but used promptly—avoid sitting too long. Always score cream bags from underneath for neat look. Use plastic wrap pressed directly on custard surface for flawless skin barrier, prevents annoying skins in final mix.
- Chilling custard is essential—warm custard ruins whipped cream texture if mixed prematurely. To salvage failed custard (too thick or curdled), strain thoroughly and fold more cream for loosened effect.
- Ganache should be fluid but not hot at assembly to prevent melting choux exterior glazes unevenly.
- Storage: best eaten same day. Refrigerate loosely covered but expect choux to soften after hours. Bring to room temp before serving to enhance aroma and mouthfeel.
Choux Pastry
Ganache
Assembly
Notes and Tips
Technique Tips
Custard makes or breaks dessert—start off cold and slow heating; whisk uncompromisingly to prevent scrambling eggs. The moment thickened spots appear, get off stove. Straining is no failure; it polishes consistency. Chocolate melts only in residual heat; stir fast, smooth as velvet. Chill custard covered to avoid pellicle skins, keep moisture in. Oven temp a touch lower than usual to prevent overbrowned shells; watch for glossy dry finish with slight crackle. Drying bigger shells post-bake critical—door ajar traps gentle warmth, removes moisture without cracking. Ganache needs brief rest before use to thicken; dosing cinnamon and coffee powder at this stage adds depth not bitterness, essential balance. When whipping cream, avoid over-beating to maintain integration with custard. Piping holes underneath avoids messy tops and lets cream settle evenly. Stack smart: heavier bottom, lighter small filled atop. Serve day of—best temp and texture prevail.
Chef's Notes
- 💡 Choux pastry needs temperature control. Mix dough well but don’t let it sit too long—piping time matters. Watch for glossy finish. Small puffs should rise evenly.
- 💡 Custard thickening? Stay vigilant. Stir constantly—prevent lumps. If curdled, strain it. Melt chocolate right when hot; don’t let it sit cold. Can be tricky.
- 💡 For ganache, let cream sit on chocolate before stirring—don’t rush the process. Need a thicker consistency? Chill it briefly when mixed; watch texture.
- 💡 Storage? Don’t store too long. Choux will lose crispness after a few hours. Refrigerate loosely covered if needed. Bring to room temp for serving.
- 💡 Final assembly needs precision. Poke holes below small puffs; overfilling can crack them. Dipping tops in ganache? Quick flick off excess. A needs-to-be-balanced stack.
