Chocolate Cream Puff: Religieuse Au Chocolat
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Nowadays, puff pastry is really common and can be used for so many different dessert recipes! Today, we are introducing you to the first cream puff recipe of a new series!
The “Religieuse au Chocolat”, also called "Chocolate Cream Puff" or "The Nun", is a classic french pastry that was first created in 1856 in a famous Parisian café: Frascati.
So, how does one make chocolate cream puff? It is very easy, all you need for this delicious dessert is:
- A puff pastry: the base of the dessert.
- A craquelin: mainly used for the "choux au craquelin” recipes, this delicious dough adds a nice crispy layer to your puffs and contributes to homogenous baking.
- A chocolate cream: this delicious and rich chocolate cream is perfect as filling for any cream puff recipe.
- A creamy sugar-free caramel: chocolate and caramel are two flavors that go well together, although the caramel is totally optional.
- A delicious chocolate glaze: the perfect addition for all your puff pastry recipes.
We truly can’t wait for you to try this delicious chocolate cream puff recipe at home!
Bon appétit!
Difficulty: 
Prep time: 1 hr 15 mins / Cook time: 35 mins / Servings: 4 religieuses
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Chocolate Glaze
2 tbsp (30g) - Water
1½ tsp (5g) - Gelatin powder
0.7 oz (20g) - Condensed milk
2 tbsp (30g) - Corn syrup
2 tbsp (30g) - Xylitol
1.6 oz (45g) - Dark chocolate
Chocolate Cream
2.5 oz (70ml) - Heavy cream
2.5 oz (70ml) - Milk
2 - Egg yolks
0.7 oz (20g) - Xylitol
2.3 oz (65g) - Dark chocolate
Sugar-Free Caramel
¼ cup (55g) - Monk fruit sweetener
½ tbsp (7g) - Coconut sugar
½ cup (120ml) - Heavy cream
2 oz (56g) - Butter
1 pinch - Sea salt flakes
Craquelin
1.25 oz (35g) - Butter
1.25 oz (35g) - Coconut sugar
1.4 oz (40g) - All-purpose flour
Choux Pastry
3 - Eggs
5.3 oz (150g) - Milk
5.3 oz (150g) - Water
1 tsp (6g) - Sea salt
1 tsp (6g) - Xylitol
4.7 oz (135g) - Butter
5.8 oz (165g) - All-purpose flour
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We advise that you prepare all the above ingredients before starting.
You will typically need: a scale, measuring cups, mixing bowls.
Chocolate Glaze
1 - Combine the water and gelatin powder into a small bowl. Mix using a spoon until well combined and set aside.
Tip: We store our ingredients in these mixing bowls and mini glass bowls from Duralex while cooking. We love Duralex for their quality products and low prices!
2 - Add the condensed milk, corn syrup, and xylitol to a saucepan (or like us a saucier pan). Place the saucepan over medium heat, stir using a silicone spatula, and bring to a boil.
3 - Add the dark chocolate to a mixing bowl and pour the hot liquid over it. Mix using a spatula until well combined.
Tip: To emulsify the glaze, you may also use a hand blender. Our must-have hand blender is the Braun Multiquick Technology.
4 - Microwave the gelatin for about 10 seconds (or until fully melted) and add it to the glaze. Mix until fully incorporated and set it aside.
Chocolate Cream
1 - Add the dark chocolate to a large mixing bowl and set it aside.
2 - Add the heavy cream and milk to a saucepan and set it aside.
3 - Add the egg yolks and the xylitol to a small mixing bowl and whisk until well combined.
4 - Place the saucepan over medium heat and bring to a boil. Then, pour half of the hot liquid over the egg yolks and whisk until fully incorporated.
5 - Next, return the yolk mixture to the saucepan and place it over medium-low heat. Cook until the temperature reaches 176°F (80°C) while continuously mixing with a silicone spatula.
Tip: We recommend using a good kitchen thermometer for accuracy.
6 - Pour the cream over the dark chocolate through a sieve and stir everything until smooth and well combined. Then, cover the chocolate cream with plastic wrap and refrigerate it until needed.
Sugar-Free Caramel
1 - Add the monk fruit sweetener and coconut sugar to a saucepan. Place over low-medium heat and slowly melt while continuously mixing with a silicone spatula.
Tip: All-Clad is the gold standard for professional quality stainless steel cookware. If you want to learn more about All-Clad, check out our detailed article "The Ultimate Buyer's Guide To All-Clad".
For more recommended bakeware and cookware, check out our article: "The Best Non-Toxic Pots & Pans: Our Must-Have Cookware List".
2 - Start by pouring ⅓ of the heavy cream into the saucepan and stir until well combined. Then, add the remaining heavy cream into the saucepan and bring it to a boil.
3 - Transfer the sauce into a clean bowl and mix in the butter using a spatula. Then, mix in the sea salt flakes, cover the caramel sauce with plastic wrap and refrigerate until needed.
Craquelin
1 - Combine the butter, flour, and coconut sugar into a mixing bowl. Then, gently mix everything together with your hand until it forms a dough.
2 - Place the craquelin dough between 2 sheets of parchment paper and roll it out thinly using a rolling pin.
3 - Remove the parchment paper on top and cut small and slightly larger disks using cookie cutters.
4 - Next place the parchment paper back on top of the craquelin and transfer to the freezer until needed.
Choux Pastry
1 - Preheat your oven to 355°F (180°C).
2 - Crack the eggs into a pouring jug and set them aside.
3 - Add the milk, water, butter, xylitol, and sea salt to a saucepan. Place over medium heat and bring to a boil.
4 - When boiling, add the flour to the saucepan and cook for at least 3 minutes while continuously mixing with a spatula to dry the dough.
5 - Transfer the dough to a stand mixer bowl and mix for about 2 minutes on medium speed using the paddle attachment. This will help the dough cool down.
Tip: The KitchenAid Artisan Design Series and the KitchenAid Professional 600 Series are superstars among stand mixers and will look amazing in your kitchen!
For more information, check out our detailed article "The Best KitchenAid Mixers & Blenders".
6 - While continuously mixing, add the eggs to the dough one at a time. You know the choux pastry is ready when it is completely smooth and shiny.
7 - Transfer the dough to a piping bag with a medium round tip. Then, line a baking tray with parchment paper (or a silicone mat).
Tip: If using parchment paper, pipe a little bit of dough on each corner of the tray to stick the parchment paper on it.
8 - Then, pipe small and large choux, making sure to make them the same size as the craquelin disks.
9 - Next, take the craquelin out of the freezer, rapidly pick the disks up one by one using an offset spatula, and place one disk on each choux. Then, transfer the choux into a 355°F (180°C) oven and bake for about 30 minutes. When baking, do not open the oven until the timer runs off, otherwise, your choux may fall back. Once baked, remove them from the oven and let them cool completely.
Tip: if your kitchen is too warm and the craquelin becomes too soft, place it back in the freezer for about 10 minutes.
Assembling the Chocolate Cream Puff
1 - Dig a hole on the bottom of each choux using a small pastry tip.
2 - Next, fill a piping bag with chocolate cream, fill the small choux completely and the larger ones up to ¾ with it.
3 - Then, transfer the caramel to a piping bag and finish filling the larger choux until full. Once the choux are filled, let them rest upside down while preparing the glaze.
4 - Microwave the chocolate glaze until the temperature reaches 82°F (28°C). Next, dip the top of the larger choux first and place them on a plate. Finally, dip the top of the smaller choux inside the glace and gently place them on top of the larger choux.
5 - Enjoy!
Watch our video for more details!
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Disclaimer: baking/cooking times vary according to each appliance. Make sure to always control halfway through for success.
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🎬 Everything we used for this recipe:
🍶 Kitchenware: Coming soon!
🍳 Ingredients: Coming soon!
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The information provided in this recipe is not nutritional or medical advice. Please read our disclaimer.