Easy Baked Bigne Recipe
This baked bigne recipe was first published on the 5th of April, 2024.
If I think of birthday celebrations when on holiday in Sicily or Rome when I was a kid, mini pastries were always the choice instead of a proper cake. Why? I don’t really know, maybe preference or the fact that most of the family were not bakers (with a few exceptions!). Bignes were always a must! Filled with cream patisserie, curds, jams, fresh creams, chocolate, lemon, almond cream or pistachio cream filling. You name it, we tried it! And boy, were they unbelievably delicious.
I couldn’t miss sharing all about bigne, a favorite food since childhood! And while these are not the small shop-bought ones we used to have, I can assure you they bring back the memories and are even more delicious. Because sometimes we tend to buy rather than make ourselves, probably out of habit or laziness. In this case, I’d say it was a proper fear of choux pastry. But fear not, because if we were able to make it, then so can you!
So if you love a delicious airy and puffy dessert recipe, then you can’t miss trying this bigne recipe easy! A choux pastry dessert that will keep you asking for more, rest assured and probably decide not to share!
Time to take a deep dive into the world of italian bigne and their history
Time to take a deep dive into the delicious world of Italian bigne, those airy, golden puffs filled with cream and centuries of tradition. From festive tables to pastry shop windows, these sweet bites have a story as rich as their filling.
What are Italian bigne?
Bigne, also known as bignè or bigne alla crema in Italy, is a pastry made with choux pastry that originated in France. These pastries are made from choux pastry dough, which is light and puffy when baked. After baking, they are typically filled with sweet pastry cream, whipped cream, Italian cream, or custard and sometimes flavored with vanilla or other ingredients.
Italian bigne are often topped with powdered sugar or glazed with chocolate for added sweetness because you do know we love a sweet that is so extra sweet. They are a popular dessert in Italy, enjoyed on their own or as part of a dessert spread. (Wikipedia).
Similar to bigne, but sometimes confused with the two, there are zeppole di San Giuseppe, which are usually served in March for Father’s Day and come from Naples. These zeppole are fried and filled with a dense cream inside and on top, as well as with black cherries.
What is choux pastry?
Choux is a delicate pastry dough that begins with water, butter, flour, and eggs. When in the oven, it turns airy, puffy, and so delicious! It’s incredibly versatile, it’s used in both sweet and savoury dishes. From éclairs and cream puffs to profiterols and gougères (irresistible cheese bites that are a hit at any gathering).
What makes them puff up is the high moisture content in the dough, which creates steam as it bakes, making it puff up and creating its signature hollow centre. That’s what gives them their light, airy texture. Outside, you will look at a golden, crispy dough that is still tender on the inside and that is perfect to house any sort of filling. From creams to custards, ice cream, whipped cream, or just empty and glazed on top or sprinkled with icing sugar, the fillings for choux pastry are endless!
What’s the difference between bignè and profiteroles?
While they are both made with choux pastry, bigne and profiteroles have a main difference. In an italian profiteroles recipe, you will find them filled with cream or ice cream but also glazed with chocolate on top. While traditional bigne are filled with cream and sprinkled with icing sugar on top. So no fancy topping like their counterpart, yet still as delicious as the chocolate-topped ones.
What Ingredients do I need to make bigne?
These bigne actually don’t require many ingredients and most of them are pantry items. As the number of ingredients is very limited, substitutions are not recommended for this recipe. Here’s a deeper dive into each of these ingredients and the role they play in making perfect Italian bignè:
- Water: Water is the base liquid in the choux pastry (pasta choux), essential for creating steam in the oven, which is what makes bignè puff up into their iconic hollow shape. It works together with the fat (butter) to form the initial dough and later helps the eggs bind everything into a silky mixture that can be piped;
- Butter: Butter adds richness and flavor, but it’s also crucial for the dough’s texture. When melted into the water and brought to a boil, it ensures the flour is absorbed evenly. Its fat content helps make the pastry tender inside while giving the exterior a golden, delicate crunch;
- Flour: Flour is what gives structure to bignè pastry. It’s added all at once to the hot water and butter mixture, then stirred vigorously to form a smooth, thick dough. The high heat partially cooks the flour, forming the base for a stable, glossy choux pastry that can trap steam and rise beautifully in the oven;
- Eggs: Eggs are the magic in choux pastry — they add richness, color, and elasticity. Once the flour mixture has cooled slightly, eggs are mixed in one by one to transform the dense paste into a smooth, pipeable dough. The protein and moisture from eggs also contribute to the rise and the airy structure once baked;
- Salt: Just a pinch, but it makes a big difference. Salt enhances the flavor of the dough and balances the richness of the butter and eggs. It also helps strengthen the gluten structure ever so slightly, giving the pastry a bit more hold;
- Crème Pâtissière (Pastry Cream): Silky, luscious, and full of flavor, crème pâtissière is the classic filling for bignè. Made with milk, sugar, egg yolks, flour or cornstarch, and often infused with vanilla, this custard is piped into the cooled shells to create the perfect contrast between light pastry and creamy interior. In Italy, you’ll find endless variations from chocolate to coffee to zesty lemon;
- Icing Sugar: A simple finishing touch that adds elegance and sweetness. Lightly dusted over the filled bignè, icing sugar gives that bakery-style look and a delicate crackle with each bite. Sometimes, it’s also used to make a glaze or fondant coating for a shinier finish.
How do I make these baked bigne?
Start in a pot over medium heat. Melt the butter with water and a pinch of salt, allowing the mixture to come to a gentle boil. This base will help hydrate the flour and create the right environment for the pastry to puff later on. Once the mixture starts bubbling, add the flour all at once. Stir vigorously with a wooden spoon or spatula until a smooth dough forms and pulls away from the sides of the pot – it should look like a soft ball. Keep stirring for another minute or so to help cook off any raw flour taste.
Remove the pot from the heat and let the dough cool for a couple of minutes. This is important – you don’t want the eggs to scramble when added. Now, add the eggs one at a time, mixing well after each addition. The dough will look like it’s falling apart at first, but keep going; it will come together into a glossy, pipeable batter. You’re aiming for a consistency that’s smooth and holds its shape but still drops slowly from a spoon.
Preheat your oven to 200°C and line a baking tray with parchment paper. Transfer the choux pastry to a pastry bag fitted with a smooth round tip. Pipe small rounds onto the baking sheet, leaving enough space between each one to let them puff up. You can lightly wet your finger and press down any peaks for a smoother result.
Bake the pasta bignè at 200°C for 15 minutes, then lower the temperature to 190°C and bake for another 10 minutes, or until they’re golden brown and feel light and hollow. Avoid opening the oven during baking — they need the steam to rise properly. Once baked, let the bignè cool completely on a rack before filling.
In the meantime, prepare your crème pâtissière if you haven’t already – a rich, silky custard made with milk, egg yolks, sugar, and a thickening agent like flour or cornstarch. Once cooked, let it cool completely, then transfer to a clean piping bag with a small smooth tip. To fill the bignè, use a small knife to poke a hole at the bottom of each puff. Gently fill them until they feel just plump — don’t overfill, or they might split. Finish by dusting with icing sugar for a classic, elegant touch.
These are best enjoyed fresh, but you can keep them in the fridge for a couple of days. Just bring them to room temperature before serving – the cream will taste smoother, and the texture will be at its best.
Can I use something else as a filling for this bigne recipe?
Absolutely! The beauty of choux pastry is that it’s so versatile, and the fillings are endless! You can fill bigne with creme patissiere, custard, ice cream, chocolate, curds, or jams. You think of it, you can use it! I must admit that they are to die for even empty and just with a sprinkle of icing sugar on top.
Easy Baked Bigne Recipe
Ingredients
For the choux pastry:
- 150 g water
- 100 g butter
- 150 g flour
- 5 eggs
- pinch of salt
For the filling:
- creme patissiere
- icing sugar
Instructions
- In a pot, over medium heat, melt the butter with water and salt.
- When it starts to boil, add all the flour and mix well until a ball forms.
- Remove the pot from the heat and let it cool slightly.
- Add one egg at a time, making sure they are fully incorporated with a spatula before adding the next one.
- When you have added all the eggs, prepare a baking sheet with baking paper.
- Then proceed to put all the pastry in a piping bag fitted with a smooth tip.
- Start piping some 3cm rounds on some parchment paper, leaving enough space between each ball.
- Bake the choux pastry at 200C for 15 minutes, then drop the temperature to 190C and bake for a further 10 minutes, or until the buns are golden.
- Set aside and let the buns cool down completely before filling.
- For the filling, prepare your favourite creme patissiere and let it cool completely in a bowl covered with cling film, so that it’s touching the whole surface and no skin will form on top of it.
- Once cold, transfer the creme patissiere to a piping bag fitted with a smooth tip, big enough to let the creme patissiere flow through.
- With a knife, poke a hole at the bottom of each bigne, then fill each one with the creme patissiere until they feel nice and plump. Careful not to overdo it with the cream, they might explode in your hand!
- Set each filled bigne aside on a serving dish and fill all of the bigne.
- Complete with a dusting of icing sugar to serve.
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If you are after some more Italian dessert recipes, why not check out these:
- tiramisu in a glass, the easiest and most delicious Italian dessert for any coffee lover;
- frollini, easy and so scrumptious + add chocolate on top for an even more indulgent buttery biscuit;
- montebianco, if you love chestnuts and sweets, this is the one to try;
- ciambelline al vino if you love wine and have a sweet tooth, this is the one;
- lemon sorbet, just clean your mouth with something indulgent and tangy;
- torta paradiso recipe, the softest cake on earth with a delicious cream filling;
- baci di dama mouth-sized and the most delicious for any hazelnut and chocolate fans!
- torta tenerina the most delicious and fudgy chocolate cake to have!
- vegan crostata nothing saves the afternoon merenda like crostata does!
Do you like baked bigne? Have you ever tried making Italian cream puffs at home? Have you tried bigne filled or just on their own? Let us know in the comments!
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