Nun’s Puffs (Petites Religieuses) – Heavenly Light Pastries

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These ethereal French pastries, called Petites Religieuses (“Little Nuns”) for their resemblance to nuns’ habits, are cloud-light puffs with a crisp exterior and custardy interior. A forgotten classic worth rediscovering!

Why You’ll Love This Recipe

✅ Dramatic rise – Watch them puff like magic
✅ Versatile base – Perfect for sweet or savory fillings
✅ 18th-century charm – A historic French convent recipe
✅ No yeast needed – Uses steam power for lift

Ingredients & Tools

Essential Components

  • 1 cup water
  • ½ cup (1 stick) butter
  • 1 cup all-purpose flour
  • 4 large eggs
  • ¼ tsp salt
  • 1 tbsp sugar (for sweet version)

Traditional Finish

  • Powdered sugar
  • Crème pâtissière or whipped cream

Equipment

  • Heavy saucepan
  • Wooden spoon
  • Piping bag with ½” tip (or teaspoon)

Step-by-Step Alchemy

1. Create the Dough (Pâte à Choux)

  1. Boil water, butter, and salt in a saucepan.
  2. Remove from heat, add all flour at once, stir vigorously until smooth.
  3. Return to low heat, cook 2 minutes while stirring (dries the dough).

2. Incorporate Eggs

  1. Transfer dough to bowl, cool 5 minutes.
  2. Beat in eggs one at a time until glossy (dough should ribbon off spoon).

3. Pipe & Bake

  1. Pipe 1.5″ mounds onto parchment-lined sheet.
  2. Bake at 425°F (220°C) for 15 mins, then 350°F (175°C) for 20 mins (NO PEEKING!).

Pro Techniques

🔥 Steam control: Spritz oven with water before baking for extra puff
👐 Texture test: Fully baked puffs should feel hollow when tapped
⏳ Resting secret: Pierce with toothpick after baking to prevent collapse

Historical Context

Originally created by French nuns in the 1700s as:

  • Sweet: Filled with custard, dusted with sugar
  • Savory: With cheese/herbs for meatless Fridays

Modern Twists

🍫 Chocolate: Add 2 tbsp cocoa powder to dough
🌿 Herbed: Mix in 1 tbsp fresh thyme + Parmesan
🍓 Berry: Fill with lemon curd + fresh raspberries

Serving Ritual

  • Warm: Split and fill right before serving
  • Presentation: Stack in pyramids for drama
  • Pairing: Serve with Earl Grey tea or sparkling wine

“When made correctly, they should sigh slightly when bitten into, releasing their delicate steam.” – Chef Jacques Pépin

Storage Tip: Freeze unfilled puffs up to 1 month – recrisp at 300°F for 5 mins!

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