Paris-Brest (パリブレスト)

Ingredients

Equipment Needed

• •Heavy saucepan
• •Wooden spoon, or stand mixer with paddle attachment
• •Piping bag with large star tip
• •Baking sheet
• •Parchment paper
• •Wire rack
• •Serrated knife

Instructions

1. 1

   Mark the ring

   Heat the oven to 200C. Line a baking sheet with parchment and draw an 18cm circle on the underside as a guide. The circle keeps the piping honest, which matters because an uneven ring bakes unevenly and splits where it is thin.

2. 2

   Boil the liquid

   Put the milk, water, butter, sugar, and salt in a saucepan and bring it to a full boil. The butter must be fully melted before the flour goes in, or pockets of fat will weaken the paste. When the surface rises and the pot smells sweet and buttery, move at once.

3. 3

   Dry the dough

   Add the flour all at once and stir hard with a wooden spoon until the mixture gathers into a smooth ball. Return it to medium heat and cook, pressing and turning, for 2 to 3 minutes, until it pulls cleanly from the sides and leaves a thin film on the bottom of the pan.

   This drying is not ceremony. It drives off extra moisture so the eggs can be absorbed properly and the shell can rise hollow instead of slumping.
4. 4

   Work in eggs

   Transfer the dough to a bowl and beat for a minute so the harsh heat passes. Add the beaten eggs a little at a time, mixing well after each addition. Stop when the dough is glossy and falls from the spoon in a thick V-shaped ribbon. You may not need every drop, and on a dry day you may need a spoonful more.

   The dough decides, not the egg count. Too little egg gives a heavy shell; too much makes the ring spread flat before the oven can set it.
5. 5

   Pipe the choux

   Fit a piping bag with a large star tip and pipe one ring on the guide, then a second ring just inside it, touching. Pipe a third ring on top, centered over the join. Brush lightly with egg wash and scatter with sliced almonds. The stacked shape gives height, and the almonds toast into the first scent you notice.

6. 6

   Bake the shell

   Bake for 15 minutes at 200C, then lower the oven to 180C and bake 20 to 25 minutes more, until deeply golden, dry to the touch, and light when lifted. Do not open the door early. The oven must set the outside before the steam escapes, or the hollow you earned will collapse.

   Pale choux is underbaked choux. Color is structure here, not decoration.
7. 7

   Cool completely

   Turn off the oven, crack the door, and leave the shell inside for 10 minutes. Move it to a rack and cool completely. Warm choux carries trapped moisture, and if you fill it too soon the cream softens and the shell loses its bite.

8. 8

   Whip praline cream

   Beat the mascarpone, praline paste, powdered sugar, vanilla, and salt until smooth. Add the cold cream and whip until the cream holds firm, clean ridges. Stop there. Overwhipped cream turns grainy, and the praline should taste round and nutty, not greasy.

9. 9

   Split and fill

   Use a serrated knife to cut the cold ring horizontally. Lift off the top gently, keeping the almond side intact. Pipe the praline cream in generous rosettes around the base, then set the top back on without pressing. The clean seam shows the work, so let it show.

10. 10

    Finish and serve

    Dust lightly with powdered sugar just before serving. Cut with a serrated knife in a gentle sawing motion so the shell stays proud and the cream remains visible. Serve the same day, while the choux still has its crisp edge.

Chef Tips

• •Use good praline paste, or make one from well-toasted hazelnuts and caramel. If the praline tastes flat, the cream cannot rescue it. Sourcing first, even in pastry.
• •A wooden spoon works for the panade, but a stand mixer with a paddle makes the egg stage easier. Add the eggs slowly either way. The ribbon is the standard.
• •Bake the shell darker than your nervous hand wants. Choux that looks merely blond is usually damp inside, and damp choux folds under cream.
• •Fill close to serving. The shell and the cream are good companions, but they are not meant to live together overnight.

Advance Preparation

• •The choux shell can be baked 1 day ahead, cooled completely, and kept loosely covered at room temperature. Refresh it for 5 minutes in a 160C oven, then cool again before filling.
• •The praline cream can be prepared up to 6 hours ahead and kept refrigerated. Whisk briefly before piping if it has settled.
• •Do not assemble more than 2 hours ahead. The cream slowly softens the shell, and Paris-Brest is best when the cut still has a little crispness.

Frequently Asked Questions

Nutrition Information

1 serving (about 145g)