Paris Brest Recipe An Exceptional Cake

It really is easy to make, you just need to make three simple parts, the choux pastry, the praline paste, and the Crème Patissière.

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Gateau Paris Brest

Paris Brest truly is a delight! It is a wonderful treat at any time and a great dessert for a special occasion. There is just three easy parts to this fabulous cake; the choux pastry, the praline paste, and the Crème Patissière, and once you have built it, you are set to indulge!

This gorgeous cake is named after the Paris-Brest bicycle race and was invented in 1891 by a Parisian pastry chef, Monsieur Louis Durand, who owned a shop along the route. The last time the race was run was in 1951. The cake was made to resemble the bicycle's wheels!

It really is easy to make, so please don't be alarmed at the thought of making it at home! You just need to make three easy parts to this fabulous cake: the choux pastry, the praline paste, and the Crème Patissière.

Always remember you are not competing with Master Chefs - this is for your family and friends, and if it is not perfect the first time around, it will still taste fabulous.

You will need a piping bag without a nozzle and a baking tray.

Now you are ready to make your Paris Brest!

You will need a few almond flakes and a little beaten egg to glaze the top.

• Fill the icing bag with the choux pastry ( without a nozzle), and pipe a large ring with the choux pastry onto a lightly buttered baking tray. You can, if you wish, make individual, smaller ones.

• Brush the top with a little beaten egg and sprinkle a few almond flakes on the top.

• Place in the middle shelf of the pre-heated oven at 400°F 205°C, Gas 6, and leave for 15 minutes.

• Now reduce the oven temperature to 375°F, 190°C, Gas 5 for another 25 minutes. Refer to this Oven Temperature Conversion Chart for help with adjustments..

• Take it out of the oven and leave it to cool.

• Split with a sharp knife through the center, horizontally, and fill with the Crème Patissière.

• Dust the top with icing sugar.

More Wonderful French Sweets

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• Kugelhopf
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📖 Recipe

Paris Brest

Judith Coates

It really is easy to make, you just need to make three simple parts, the choux pastry, the praline paste, and the Crème Patissière.

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Prep Time 20 minutes mins

Cook Time 1 hour hr 15 minutes mins

Total Time 1 hour hr 35 minutes mins

Course Dessert

Cuisine French

Servings 6

Ingredients

1x2x3x

There are three little steps for your Paris Brest:

STEP ONE: You need to make the Praline Paste which will flavor the filling.

Ingredients

• ▢ 2 oz unblanched almonds or you can use hazelnuts
• ▢ 2½ oz castor sugar
• ▢ 2 tablespoons water

STEP TWO: You will need Crème Patissière for the filling.

STEP THREE

• ▢ You will now need to make your Choux Pastry.

To put the Paris Brest together:

• ▢ A few almond flakes
• ▢ 1 beaten egg

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Instructions

 

STEP ONE METHOD:

• First place the nuts on a baking tray and toast in a moderate oven for about 10 minutes until golden brown.
• Place the sugar and water in a heavy-bottomed pan and bring to a boil.
• Continue to boil until it is caramelized 6-8 minutes.
• Put the nuts into the mixture and mix.
• Pour the mixture onto a marble slab or a baking tray and leave to go cold.
• When it is cold break it up and either put it in a grinder to grind it to a pulp, smash it with a rolling pin, or place it in a pestle and mortar and work to a paste.
• Keep it to one side ready to mix into the Crème Patissière. You can also keep it in an airtight tin for use at another time or in advance for this recipe.

STEP TWO METHOD: Prep 8 minutes, Cook 7 minutes, Rest 1 hour

• You will need Crème Patissière for the filling. 
• In the last stage, mix in the praline paste to flavor.
• Make this and keep it in the refrigerator until you are ready to fill the Paris Brest with it.

STEP THREE METHOD: Prep and Cook 20 minutes

• You will now need to make your Choux Pastry, so follow the recipe but you do not need the nutmeg. 

Now you are ready to put the Paris Brest together! Prep 5+2 minutes, Bake 40 minutes

• You will need a few almond flakes and a little beaten egg to brush on the top to create a glaze.
• Fill the icing bag with the choux pastry,( without a nozzle), and pipe a large ring with the choux pastry onto a lightly buttered baking tray. You can if you wish make individual smaller ones.
• Brush the top with a little beaten egg and sprinkle a few almond flakes on the top.
• Place in the middle shelf of the preheated oven at 400°F/200°C/Gas 6 and leave for 15 minutes.
• Now reduce the oven temperature to 375°F, (190°C, Gas 5) for another 25 minutes.
• Take it out of the oven and leave it to go cold.
• Split with a sharp knife through the center horizontally, lift the top carefully and place to the side upside down while you fill the bottom with the Crème Patissière.
• Lift the top back onto the filled bottom half.
• Dust the top with icing sugar.
• Now you have the most wonderful French Gateau to enjoy!

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