Fusion Recipe: Pandan and Coconut Religieuse

 

Pandan and Coconut Religieuse

Pandan and Coconut Religieuse is a stunning cross-cultural pastry that transforms the traditional French double-choux classic into a fragrant tropical delight. Named for its resemblance to a nun in a habit, the pastry features a larger choux puff topped with a smaller one, both filled to the brim with a velvety, vibrant green pandan and coconut pastry cream. Finished with a shiny pandan fondant glaze and a delicate coconut crunch, it offers a luxurious blend of rich choux pastry and aromatic Southeast Asian flavour.


🍮 Ingredients


For the Choux Pastry

  • 1/2 cup (120ml) water
  • 1/2 cup (120ml) whole milk
  • 1/2 cup (115g) unsalted butter, cubed
  • 1 tsp granulated sugar
  • 1/4 tsp salt
  • 1 cup (125g) all-purpose flour
  • 4 large eggs (room temperature)


For the Pandan-Coconut Pastry Cream

  • 1 1/2 cups coconut milk (full-fat)
  • 1/2 cup whole milk
  • 4 large egg yolks
  • 1/3 cup granulated sugar
  • 3 tbsp cornstarch
  • 1 tbsp fresh pandan extract (or high-quality pandan paste for vibrant colour and flavour)
  • 2 tbsp unsalted butter


For the Glaze & Assembly

  • 1 1/2 cups powdered sugar
  • 2–3 tbsp coconut milk (or water)
  • A few drops of pandan extract or green food colouring
  • Toasted desiccated coconut flakes, for garnish


📝 Instructions & Method


1. Make the Choux Pastry

  • Heat liquids: In a medium saucepan, combine water, milk, butter, sugar, and salt. Bring to a gentle boil until the butter is fully melted.
  • Add flour: Remove from heat and dump in all the flour at once. Stir vigorously with a wooden spoon until the mixture forms a smooth ball that pulls away from the sides of the pan.
  • Develop gluten & cool: Return to low heat for 1 minute, stirring constantly to dry out the excess moisture. Transfer to a bowl and let cool for 5 minutes.
  • Beat in eggs: Beat the eggs in one at a time, mixing thoroughly after each addition until the dough is smooth, glossy, and falls from the spoon in a thick "V" shape.
  • Pipe and bake: Pipe large rounds (about 2 inches) and smaller rounds (about 1 inch) onto parchment-lined baking sheets. Bake at 400°F (200°C) for 15 minutes, then drop the temperature to 350°F (175°C) and bake for another 15–20 minutes until crisp and golden. Poke a small hole in the bottom of each and let cool.

2. Prepare the Pandan-Coconut Pastry Cream

  • Scald milk: In a saucepan, heat the coconut milk and whole milk until steaming.
  • Whisk yolks and sugar: In a bowl, whisk the egg yolks, granulated sugar, and cornstarch together until pale.
  • Temper and thicken: Slowly pour the hot milk mixture into the egg yolks while whisking constantly. Return the entire mixture to the saucepan over medium heat, whisking vigorously until it thickens into a rich custard.
  • Flavour: Remove from heat and stir in the pandan extract and butter until glossy. Press plastic wrap directly onto the surface and chill completely in the fridge.

3. Assemble and Glaze

  • Fill the puffs: Transfer the chilled pandan pastry cream into a piping bag fitted with a fine nozzle. Insert it into the hole at the bottom of each choux puff and fill until heavy with cream.
  • Glaze: Whisk the powdered sugar, coconut milk, and green colouring together until smooth. Dip the top of each large and small puff into the glossy pandan fondant.
  • Stack: Immediately place the smaller glazed puff on top of the larger glazed puff to create the iconic "religieuse" silhouette. Sprinkle toasted coconut flakes on top.

4. Serve

  • Chill for 30 minutes to set the glaze, then serve fresh for the best contrast between crisp pastry and silky cream.

💡 Chef's Tips

  • Pandan Flavour Source: While artificial extract is easy to find, using fresh pandan leaves blended with a little coconut milk and strained gives the most authentic, aromatic depth.
  • Drying the Choux: Do not skip drying the flour paste on the stove; that extra step cooks out moisture so the choux puffs hollow out properly in the oven.
  • Assembly Timing: Fill the choux puffs close to serving time so the pastry stays crisp and doesn't soften too much from the custard.




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