Easy Pain Aux Raisins

These light, flaky Pain Aux Raisins are a quick and easy French pastry your whole family will love! The puff pastry sheets are filled with crème patissiere and golden raisins, then baked to crispy perfection and glazed with apricot preserves to make a delightful treat!

This recipe has been updated to include new and more step by step photos and improve recipe quality.

Pain Aux Raisins recipe will make your kitchen smell like a classic French Patisserie! These melt in your mouth pastries are so easy to make because of taking the short cut of not making the dough from scratch. They are great for breakfast or as a treat any time!

If you’re looking for more French Dessert recipe ideas, why not also try my Crème Brûlée Recipe and my Strawberry French Tart.

Why You’ll love This Pain Au Raisin Recipe

• An easy pastry recipe. This are a breeze to whip up, I used pre-made sheets of puff pastry provide this dessert with flaky, crispy layers and save time.
• A dreamy, creamy filling. This homemade custard filling provides a smooth, creamy filling to hold the raisins in between the flaky layers.
• A delicious apricot glaze. This flaky pastries have a tangy finishing glaze. This apricot glaze is made from apricot preserves and water for the perfect finishing touch on these easy pastries.

Pain Aux Raisins Ingredients

• Puff Pastry– puff pastry sheets are usually in the freezer section. I used the Pepperidge Farm brand that’s 17.oz. It has 2 sheets in there.
• Apricot Preserve-try to get something that doesn’t have too many fruit chunks in there. You need to remove those before measuring the apricot jam.
• Water– water is used to help liquify the jam a little when you warm it up. Do not add too much. 2 tsps at the most.
• Golden Raisins– I like using golden raisins but you can use normal ones if you don’t have golden raisins. I recommend soaking them as well.

Crème Patissiere (Pastry Cream)

• Eggs-you will need egg yolks for the crème patissiere and use the egg whites to brush the pain aux raisins before baking.
• Whole Milk-whole milk makes the cream extra rich, so please do not substitute it with low fat milk.
• Corn Starch– this is a must to thicken up the cream.
• Vanilla Extract– you can use pure vanilla extract or if you have any vanilla bean stalks in hand, you can use that.
• Butter-used to add extra richness to the cream at the end.
• Lemon Zest– this is optional. It is not required. If you don’t like a hint of lemony flavor, don’t use it. After experience, my kids prefer the cream better without it.

How to Make Pain Au Raisin

How to Make the Crème Patissiere:

• Prep the custard: Remove 1 tbsp. of milk and set aside then bring the milk to a boil over low-medium heat and add in the vanilla bean stalk if you are using it. If you are using vanilla extract, you can add it to the egg mixture in the next step.

• Make the crème patissiere: While the milk is simmering, in a bowl add the egg yolks, sugar, corn starch, lemon zest (if using) and whisk well. The mixture will be clumpy, and you can now add the 1 tbsp. of milk to help loosen the mixture up.
• Add the hot milk: Once the milk boils, add it gradually into the egg mixture a little bit at a time, whisking continuously.

• Strain the mixture: Using a strainer, return the milk and egg mixture back into the pot and bring to boil until it thickens up. Be sure to keep whisking so the mixture doesn’t clump up.

• Remove from heat: Once the custard cream thickens up, remove from heat. Add the butter and whisk.

• Cool the custard: Transfer to a glass bowl and cover with saran wrap. Allow to cool at room temperature before using.

• Once the mixture cools, I like whipping the custard cream for a minute to obtain a nice creamy texture. As seen in the photo below.

Full Pastry Cream Recipe tutorial available HERE

How to Assemble the Raisin Pastries

• Preheat the oven to 375 F.
• Soak the raisins for 15 minutes with hot water. I like doing this step so that the raisins soften up a little. Pat them dry completely once soaked. You can do this while the crème is cooling up to save time.
• Assemble the pastries: Lay a sheet of puff pastry on a cutting board. Then spread custard evenly on the pastry sheet. I used 1/2 cup crème patissiere for each sheet. You can use a little more if you like, but keep in mind that the inside of the pastry will be more moist when you bake it.

• Top the crème with 1/4 cup of pastry with the golden raisins. Cut the pastry sheet into 8 even 1 inch strips.

• Start by rolling one strip to form a roll. Then take a second strip and roll again around the first roll. Each sheet should make you 4 raisin pastries.

• Brush pastries: Transfer the portions to a sheet pan lined with parchment paper. Brush each roll well with the some of the leftover egg whites.
• Bake: Bake the pastries until the pain aux raisins are golden brown in color, between 28-30 minutes, depending on your oven. Mine took 28 minutes.
• Right before the pastries come out of the oven, microwave the apricot preserve for 30 seconds with 2-3 tsps. of water in a small bowl. Mix well.

• Glaze: When the pain aux raisins come out of the oven, brush them with the apricot glaze.
• Allow them to slightly cool before eating. I prefer eating them fresh while they are still a little warm.

Tips to Make the Pains Aux Raisins

• Note that the center will not dry out completely. It has custard. The more custard you add, the more moist it will stay.
• Place the tray in the middle rack of the oven. Cooking time may be 1-2 minutes off, depending on your oven. Maybe more or less.
• To save time, prepare the custard the night before and refrigerate.
• Make sure the puff pastry thaws before unfolding and filling with cream.
• Arrange the pastries on the sheet pan making sure to keep enough space between them so they will not touch when baking.
• Use a floss to slice the rolls instead of a knife, this prevents the rolls from unrolling while you slice them. Tuck any outer raisins into the roll.
• Soak the raisins before using.
• Do not worry if you see the pastries puffing up while baking. Once they come out, they will deflate a little and take their shape.

Other Delicious Dessert Recipe

• Crème Brûlée Cheesecake Bars
• Easy Chocolate Covered Strawberries
• Super Moist Pear Cake
• Chocolate French Silk Pie

I hope you enjoy all the recipes I share with you, including this delicious Pain Aux Raisins recipe. I hope you try it, enjoy it, rate it and share it with your friends and family!

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