Religieuse (Chocolate-Filled Choux Buns with Glaze)

Chocolate crème pâtissière

• 500 ml Whole milk
• 2 tsp Vanilla extract
• 4 Egg
• 120 g Caster sugar
• 40 g Cornflour
• 25 g Cocoa powder
• 120 g Dark baking chocolate

Choux pastry

• 100 g Unsalted butter
• 125 ml Whole milk
• 125 ml Water
• 10 g Caster sugar
• 1 pinch Fine sea salt
• 150 g Plain flour
• 4 Egg

Chocolate glaze and buttercream collar

• 180 g Dark baking chocolate
• 120 ml Double cream
• 80 g Unsalted butter, softened
• 160 g Icing sugar
• 10 g Cocoa powder

1. Make the chocolate crème pâtissière: warm the milk with the vanilla in a saucepan over medium heat until steaming but not boiling. In a bowl, whisk the eggs with the sugar, then whisk in the cornflour and cocoa until smooth. Pour the hot milk onto the egg mixture in a steady stream, whisking constantly.
2. Return the custard base to the saucepan and cook over medium heat, whisking continuously, for 2 to 4 minutes until thick and bubbling. Take off the heat, add the chocolate and whisk until fully melted and glossy. Tip into a bowl, cover the surface directly, and chill until cold and pipeable.
3. Heat the oven to 200°C (390°F). Line two baking trays. For the choux, put the butter, milk, water, sugar and salt in a saucepan and bring to a rolling boil.
4. Take the pan off the heat, add the flour all at once, and beat hard with a wooden spoon until a smooth paste forms. Return to medium heat and cook the paste for 1 to 2 minutes, stirring, until it forms a ball and leaves a thin film on the base of the pan. Tip into a bowl and leave for 5 minutes to cool slightly.
5. Beat in the eggs one at a time until you have a smooth, glossy paste that drops from the spoon in a thick V shape. Pipe 8 large buns (about 5 cm) and 8 small buns (about 3 cm) onto the trays, leaving space for expansion. Smooth any peaks with a fingertip dipped in water.
6. Bake for 20 minutes, then reduce the oven to 180°C (355°F) and bake for 10 to 15 minutes more until deep golden and crisp. Turn the oven off, crack the door open, and leave the buns inside for 10 minutes to dry. Cool completely on a rack before filling.
7. Whisk the chilled crème pâtissière briefly until smooth, then spoon into a piping bag. Pierce the base of each bun and pipe in the custard until the bun feels heavy. Set aside while you make the glaze.
8. For the chocolate glaze, heat the cream in a small saucepan until steaming. Take off the heat, add the chocolate, leave for 1 minute, then stir until smooth and shiny. Dip the tops of the buns into the glaze and let them set for 10 minutes.
9. For the buttercream collar, beat the softened butter with the icing sugar and cocoa until smooth and pipeable. Use a little buttercream to stick a small bun on top of each large bun, then pipe a neat collar around the join. Leave to set for 10 minutes before serving.

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