Paris - Brest
The Paris Brest is a delicious French pastry made out of choux pastry and Praliné (caramelised almonds and hazel nuts paste) and topped with almonds flakes & icing sugar
La Pâte à choux which is the base for Paris Brest was brought to France in the 16th century with Catherine de’Medici
The Paris Brest was created on the earlier 1900’s to pay tribute to the bicycle race that initiates in Paris to Brest and finishing in Paris, this bicycle race initiated in 1891
Why a circular shape?
As the circular shape is representative of a wheel
Paris - Brest
Prep time : 30 minutes
Baking time : 15 - 18 minutes
Total time : 48 minutes
Servings : 3 units
INGREDIENTS
CHOUX DOUGH (PÂTE À CHOUX)
40g or 1/3 cup ALL-PURPOSE or GLUTEN FREE FLOUR
35g or 1/4 cup WATER
35g or 1/4 cup MILK (DAIRY OR PLANT BASED)
30g or 2,5 tbsp UNSALTED BUTTER (OR MARGARINE)
1 EGG
TOPPING
20g or 1/4 CUP ALMOND FLAKES (UNTOASTED)
CRÈME MOUSSELINE AU PRALINÉ
200g or 1 CUP MILK (DAIRY OR PLANT BASED)
60g or 1/4 CUP SUGAR
50g or 1/4 cup PRALINÉ*
25g or 2 tbsp COLD BUTTER (OR MARGARINE)
20g or 2,5 tbsp MAIZENA (CORN STARCH)
3 EGG YOLKS
*if you cannot find it you may use any type of caramelized nuts paste
TOPPING
10G or 2 tbsp ICING/CONFECTIONER SUGAR
EQUIPMENT
medium sauce pan
wooden spatula
stove
baking tray
parchment paper / silicon baking mat
whisk
pipping bag
pastry tip/nozzle star type 14mm (EU standard) or 827 (USA standard)
pastry tip/nozzle star type E7 (EU standard) or 1M (USA standard)
bread knife
market and paper sheet if using a silicon baking mat
oven
apron
METHOD
PÂTE À CHOUX
To make Paris Brest, preheat oven to 185°C (385°F) fan forced if possible
Place water, milk, butter in a medium size saucepan over medium heat, stir until the butter is melted and boils. Turn off the heat, add the flour (all at once) beat with a wooden spoon to have a Panade as a result
Stirring all the time, place the saucepan over medium heat and dry the Panade for 2 minutes (if you see a thin skin or film at the bottom of your saucepan that’s completely normal)
After two minutes, transfer the panade to a medium size bowl, keep stirring for 10 seconds until slightly cooled (or you can do it with an electric mixer). Add egg and beat until fully combined with a smooth texture
Place the dough in a pipping bag fitted with a nozzle star type 14mm
Prepare your baking tray with either parchment paper or silicone baking mat
Grab a glass and a marker, draw three circles with a space of 2 fingers on top of the parchment paper. Flip the parchment to avoid the dough to have contact with the ink (if using a silicon baking mat, you may draw the circles on a piece of paper and place it underneath)
Grab the pipping bag, leave about 1cm of space between the parchment paper/silicon baking mat and the tip/nozzle then start doing the circle shape with la Pâte à Choux
Cover entirely the circles with almond flakes
Bake between 15 – 18 minutes until they puffed and are golden
Once baked, allow them to cool off completely on a cooling rack
CRÈME MOUSSELINE AU PRALINÉE
Place on a medium size sauce pan the milk and bring it to boil, then turn off. In the mid time mix egg, sugar corn starch (maizena) whisk until it gets into a light creamy yellow colour
Place a small portion of the milk into the egg mix, whisk well until it get smooth and place the egg mixture into the milk
Turn on the kitchen stove into medium heat, cook for about 2 minutes, whisk all the time (cream is ready once it boils - do not leave it such a long time as it gets too thick)
Take the cream out of the heat. Place the cold butter and praliné paste, mix well (use the remaining heat of the cream to disolve the butter)
Transfer the cream into a plate and cover with cling film
Cool it down for at least 20 minutes inside the fridge
PARIS BREST
Gently grab each circle, cut it in half with a bread knife
Prepare the custard cream on a pipping bag using the E7 nozzle
Remove the lid in order to place the cream, at this time you can be Gourmand and place small drops of Praliné paste on top of the cream.
Place back the lid and sprinkle some icing/confectioner sugar on top using a strainer
Voilà you have a Paris-Brest! - they can be kept or storage in the fridge up to 7 hours
Bonne dégustation
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