Chinois
"Chinese" - what a strange name for this cake! A kind of brioche, filled with confectioner's custard (crème pâtissière) which can be decorated with fondant icing.
5 hours 30 min.
Easy
2 Chinois
4 IngredientsLast modified on: September 10th 2018
For 2 Chinois, you will need:
- 1
1 litre brioche dough - 2
600 ml confectioner's custard (crème pâtissière, or french pastry cream) - 3
40 ml beaten egg - 4
200 ml fondant icing (optional)
Change measures:
Times for this recipe
Preparation: 50 min.
Resting: 4 hours
Cooking: 40 min.
All in all: 5 hours 30 min.
If you start now, at , you will finish around : ?.Change start time
To finish around 7pm, you'll need to have started before: .Change end time
Step by step recipe
Stage 1 - 10 min.
After preparing 1 litre brioche dough, refridgerate for 1 or 2 hours or overnight, so that the dough becomes firm.
Then roll out dough (sprinkle generously with flour) into a large rectangle about 1 cm or 0.5 inch thick.
Then roll out dough (sprinkle generously with flour) into a large rectangle about 1 cm or 0.5 inch thick.
Stage 2 - 3 min.
Put this rectangle on a bigger sheet of cooking parchment. If necessary, reshape your rectangle after this transfer operation.
Stage 3 - 5 min.
Spread a layer of 600 ml confectioner's custard (crème pâtissière, or french pastry cream) all over dough rectangle, 0.5 cm or 0.25 inch thick (add more if you wish).
Stage 4 - 5 min.
Now your goal is to roll up the dough to form a cylinder.
It looks difficult, but in fact it's quite easy, thanks to the paper sheet. Use it to start rolling, without touching the dough, and so form the roll.
It looks difficult, but in fact it's quite easy, thanks to the paper sheet. Use it to start rolling, without touching the dough, and so form the roll.
Stage 5
Continue until completely rolled up.
Stage 6 - 2 hours
Put roll on a baking sheet, and refrigerate for about 2 hours, until the roll becomes quite firm.
Stage 7 - 3 min.
After this time, remove roll from the fridge and with a large sharp knife, trimm off the ends to neaten.
Note: you can cook these bits later.
Note: you can cook these bits later.
Stage 8 - 10 min.
Then cut the roll into slices about 3 cm or 1.5 inches thick, and arrange them in a round mould or tray, touching one touching another.
That's why firm dough is absolutely essential, otherwise the slices will squash during cutting.
That's why firm dough is absolutely essential, otherwise the slices will squash during cutting.
Stage 9 - 2 hours
Cover mould with a plastic sheet, and leave in a warm place for 2 hours.
Stage 10 - 3 min.
After this time, preheat oven to 180°C or 356°F. Glaze top of cake.
Stage 11 - 40 min.
Put in the oven for about 30 minutes.
Stage 12 - 10 min.
Turn out on a wire rack.
When cake is cool, you can decorate it with 200 ml fondant icing, melted in bain-marie or microwave oven.
When cake is cool, you can decorate it with 200 ml fondant icing, melted in bain-marie or microwave oven.
Remarks
You can also put on the custard before rolling up: raisins, small pieces of dried apricot, chocolates chips, etc.
Keeping: 1 or 2 days in the fridge, folded in a plastic film.
Source: Home made.
Nutritional information
| Proteins (gr) | Carbohydrates (gr) | Fats (gr) | Energy value (in k-calories) | Energy value (in k-joules) | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Whole recipe | 1,340 RDI=510 % | 6,140 RDI=580 % | 2,770 RDI=420 % | 5,970 RDI=300 % | 25,010 RDI: 300 % |
| Per 100 g | 80 RDI=30 % | 370 RDI=40 % | 170 RDI=30 % | 360 RDI=20 % | 1,530 RDI: 20 % |
How much will it cost?
- For 2 Chinois : 6.40 €
- Per Chinois : 3.20 €
Change currency: 
Note: Be careful, these prices are only an estimate, you can consult the table of prices by ingredients used for this estimate.
This recipe uses (among others)
Brioche dough
You can get more informations, or check-out other recipes which use it, for example: Flaky chocolate brioche, Agen prune cake, Brioche Tatin, Brioche royale, Brioche feuilletée (flaky brioche), ... See them all 13
Confectioner's custard (Crème pâtissière, or French pastry cream)
You can get more informations, or check-out other recipes which use it, for example: Saint Honoré cake, Paris-Brest, Fraisier (French strawberry cake), Pistachio cream, Strawberries with mint and cream, ... See them all 19
Beaten egg
You can get more informations, or check-out other recipes which use it, for example: Old style brioche, Baker's apple soles, Gâteau Basque , Vol-au-vent cases, Nanterre brioche, ... See them all 80
Other recipes you may also like
Pannacotta and blackcurrant crumble
This is a glass of pannacotta, with a layer of blackcurrent coulis, and a crunchy almond crumble scatterd on top. February 21th 2011250 K3.8 1 hour 25 min.
Confectioner's custard (Crème pâtissière, or French pastry cream)
Quite similar to crème anglaise but much thicker. It is used in many pastries like choux pastry (pâte à choux) or millefeuille. January 27th 2017768 K 313.7 40 min.
Oriane's tuna rillettes
Quick to make, delicious as an aperitif. February 21th 2011203 K5 20 min.
How to bake blind
This method allows you to cook a tart case, and then fill with a preparation which may or may not need further cooking (fruit, chocolate, crème patissière , etc...). May 6th 2017930 K5 1 hour 40 min.
Béarnaise sauce
This very tasty sauce, flavoured with tarragon, chervil and shallot, with its hint of acidity, is perfect for grilled fish or meats. Its well-known as a difficult sauce, but here are all the tips that you need to succeed. May 22th 2016354 K4 1 hour 6 min.
News list of cooking-ez.com
Sign up to receive the latest recipes (next batch due to be sent on 2025-09-07)
Note: We'll never share your e-mail address with anyone else.
Follow this recipe
If you are interested in this recipe, you can "follow" it, by entering your email address here. You will then receive a notification immediately each time the recipe is modified or a new comment is added. Please note that you will need to confirm this following.
Note: We'll never share your e-mail address with anyone else.
Alternatively: you can subscribe to the mailing list of cooling-ez.com , you will receive a e-mail for each new recipe published on the site.
The 2 comments already posted on this recipe