Just as I promised here is the first of Talita’s monthly recipe installments. It looks girly and delicious, pink always makes me think of my childhood birthday cakes, which in turns makes me feel young and free – so I’m liking the looks of this pastry a lot!

Take it away Talita…

Bonjour BABL babes! I’m very excited and honored to be invited to post on the website of my favourite vintage shop in Auckland. I’ve had the pleasure of Sarah and Rosie’s friendship for a few years now, meeting through our mutual musical friends. The fact that these girls are making things happen for themselves is a huge inspiration to me. Therefore, I wish to in turn inspire you too, in the way that I know how. Which is through cakes, sweets, pastries and chocolates! You’ll be delighted at how easy it is to make your friends smile by presenting them with a treat you’ve made lovingly with your own hands. You’ll soon find that the joy you receive in return is as addictive as the sweets themselves 

Trying to decide what recipe should be the first to grace the BABL website, I thought back to my first trip to a Parisian patisserie in the summer of last year. I remembered that as I set foot in the legendary Laduree, a particular treat really caught my eye. This dessert emitted an overwhelming air of super girly cuteness that my vision tunneled as I became airborne and levitated stomach-first towards it. It was not long after, that the “Religieuse à la Rose” became the very first pastry I bit into in this fine country of France. And mon Dieu it was delicious.

Whoa, hold up. What is a “religieuse” you ask? Well, the concept is simple and inspired: a pastry composed of one big cream-puff with a smaller one stacked on top of it. The globules of choux pastries are pumped amply with flavored pastry cream and glazed with shiny fondant. You can’t help but feel like you’re Marie Antoinette as you dine upon this confection.

The recipe is a little long and wordy, but be undaunted! The final result will definitely be worth your efforts.

Recipe time.

Religieuse à la Rose

Makes 8

Choux Pastry:
250 ml water
100 g unsalted butter – cubed
2 g salt
4 g caster sugar
150 g all purpose flour
4 eggs

1) Combine water, salt and sugar in a saucepan
2) Add cubed butter and bring to vigorous boil
3) Off heat, quickly add the flour in one go and stir vehemently with a wooden spoon to incorporate
4) Return saucepan to low heat and keep stirring to draw out moisture until the dough unsticks easily from the spatula and the sides of the pan
5) Place dough into a clean bowl, mix in the eggs 1 at a time with a wooden spoon (this step can also be done on a stand mixer with a paddle attachment).
6) Using a 12mm piping tip, pipe rounds onto a baking sheet lined with baking paper. 6.5cm and 3.5cm in diameter.
7) Bake at 150 degrees C until golden brown (about 25 minutes), then cool completely on a rack

Rose Pastry Cream:
800 ml full-cream milk
8 egg yolks
160 g caster sugar (divided in two)
60 g custard powder or maizena
natural vanilla extract
- – -
50 ml rosewater
100 ml rose syrup

1) On medium heat, warm up milk with half of the sugar in a saucepan
2) Using a whisk, blanch egg yolks and the other half of sugar, then add custard powder and vanilla – thin out with a little warm milk if too thick
3) Temper mixture with half of the simmering milk to loosen, and pour the batter into the saucepan
4) Whisking constantly, bring the mixture to a good boil
5) Move into a clean bowl, whisk in rosewater and rose syrup
6) Cover with plastic wrap (in contact) so skin will not form, cool completely in fridge
7) When cool, fill choux pastries generously with a small pastry tip

Rose fondant:
250 g white pouring fondant
20 ml rose syrup

1) Warm up fondant to loosen slightly on stovetop
2) Stir in rose syrup with a rubber spatula
3) Dip choux pastries into preparation carefully to glaze

Vanilla buttercream:
120 g sugar
40 ml water
- – -
4 egg yolks
180 g butter – cubed, at room temperature
natural vanilla extract

1) Combine sugar and water in a saucepan, boil and heat to 118 degrees C
2) Place egg yolks in a stand mixer, mix at low speed until light in colour
3) With the mixer going, slowly pour in sugar syrup
4) When colour is further lightened and the mixture is voluminous but still tepid, incorporate butter cube by cube.
5) Mix until smooth and creamy
6) Using a pastry bag and a small star tip, decorate as you like 

I hope to hear about how you go following the recipes! You can either email me at talitasetyady@gmail.com or leave me a comment through my blog www.talitaskitchen.blogspot.com.

Until then, eat sweet mes amis!

Grosses bises,
Talita