Paris-Brest

Method

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1. For the praline, roast the hazelnuts at 180°C for 10 minutes and rub off the skins. Melt the sugar to a dark caramel, pour it over the nuts on an oiled tray, cool, then blitz to a smooth paste.

   Mark done Start 10 min timer

2. Make a pastry cream: heat the milk, whisk the yolks with the sugar and cornflour, combine and cook until very thick. Cover and cool to room temperature.

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3. For the choux, boil the water, milk, butter, sugar and salt, tip in the flour, beat to a ball and dry it over the heat 2 minutes. Cool 5 minutes, then beat in the eggs.

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4. Pipe a 22 cm ring onto a lined tray, pipe a second ring outside it touching, and a third on top of the join. Brush with egg and scatter with almonds.

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5. Bake at 200°C / 400°F for 20 minutes, then 170°C for 20 minutes more, until very dark and dry. Cool completely.

   Mark done Start 20 min timer

6. Beat the room-temperature butter until pale, then beat in the cooled pastry cream a spoonful at a time, followed by the praline paste.

   Mark done

7. Split the ring horizontally, pipe the mousseline generously into the base, replace the lid and dust with icing sugar.

   Mark done

Chef’s Tips

• Butter and pastry cream both at room temperature or the mousseline splits.
• Bake the choux dark and dry. Pale rings collapse.
• If it splits, warm a third of it and beat it back in.

Pairing Suggestions

• Coffee
• Nothing
• A small glass of Armagnac

Storage & Reheating

Assembled, 24 hours refrigerated. The unfilled ring keeps 2 days and freezes for a month.

Common questions

Nutritional Highlights

Per serving, calculated from the ingredient list. Treat these as an estimate — brands and cuts vary.