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
3 Chinois
4 IngredientsLast modified on: September 10th 2018
For 3 Chinois, you will need:
- 1
1 litre 500 ml brioche dough - 2
900 mls confectioner's custard (crème pâtissière, or french pastry cream) - 3
60 mls beaten egg - 4
300 mls 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 500 ml 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 900 mls 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 300 mls fondant icing, melted in bain-marie or microwave oven.
When cake is cool, you can decorate it with 300 mls 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 | 2,010 RDI=770 % | 9,200 RDI=870 % | 4,160 RDI=630 % | 8,960 RDI=450 % | 37,520 RDI: 450 % |
| 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 3 Chinois : 9.55 €
- 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: Brioche Tatin, Agen prune cake, Galette de Fougerolles, Mini apricot and pistachio brioches, Flaky chocolate 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: Raisin breads (pains aux raisins), Strawberries with mint and cream, Pear verbena tarts, Fraisier (French strawberry cake), Strawberry tart, ... See them all 19
Beaten egg
You can get more informations, or check-out other recipes which use it, for example: Brioche Tatin, Dublin fruit scones, Baker's apple soles, Sicilian Epiphany Pie, Chouquettes, ... See them all 80
Other recipes you may also like
Candied grapefruit peel
Not really a dessert, more a kind of sweet. After soakiing, strips of grapefruit skin are cooked very slowly to conservethem in sugar. It's a real treat with coffee at the end of a meal. December 20th 2018387 K 14 1 day 1 hour 25 min.
Finger biscuits
These small biscuits, that look a bit like savoy biscuits, are delicious alone or with Champagne, but are also the base for charlottes or Tiramisu. July 30th 2021353 K5 50 min.
Brioche dough
It's a soft and rich dough, with butter and eggs which give a smooth and incredibly tasty brioche. This is the basic recipe for brioche dough, used for all other brioche-based recipes on the site. September 16th 2020541 K 44.2 14 hours 30 min.
Herb olive oil
This flavoured olive oil, easy to prepare, goes very well with Mediterranean cuisine: pizzas, pastas, pan bagnat, etc... February 21th 2011320 K3.8 25 min.
Marzipan (almond paste)
Very easy to do if you have a food processor which can slice or grate a lot of things. December 19th 2021644 K 34.5 15 min.
News list of cooking-ez.com
Sign up to receive the latest recipes (next batch due to be sent on 2025-09-21)
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