Prep Time: 40 min
Rest Time: 1 hour
Bake Time: 35 min
Difficulty: Medium
Cost: Affordable
With its airy choux pastry and rich praline cream, the Paris-Brest is a true icon of French pastry. Shaped like a wheel to honor the famous Paris–Brest–Paris bike race, this decadent dessert is an explosion of textures and flavors.
If you want to bake a homemade Paris-Brest that rivals the best pastry shops, this step-by-step traditional recipe will guide you to delicious results.
In a saucepan, heat the water, milk, butter, salt, and sugar until boiling.
Remove from heat, add the flour all at once, and stir vigorously.
Return to low heat and stir constantly for about 2 minutes to dry the dough slightly.
Take off the heat and add the eggs one at a time, mixing well after each addition until the dough is smooth.
Transfer the choux dough to a piping bag and pipe a ring onto a baking sheet lined with parchment paper.
Brush with the egg yolk, sprinkle with sliced almonds, and bake at 350°F (180°C) for 35 minutes until puffed and golden.
Let cool completely, then slice the ring in half horizontally.
In a saucepan, heat the milk.
Meanwhile, whisk the egg yolks with sugar and cornstarch in a bowl.
Pour the hot milk over the egg mixture, whisking constantly, then return to the pan and cook on low heat until thickened.
Remove from heat, stir in the praliné, and let cool slightly.
Once lukewarm, incorporate the softened butter and refrigerate for 1 hour.
Fill a piping bag with the praline cream and generously pipe onto the bottom half of the pastry ring.
Place the top half back on, and finish with a dusting of powdered sugar.
Serve chilled with a coffee or tea for a truly French moment.
Want to try a twist? Add caramelized hazelnuts or swap the praliné for a chocolate ganache.
You now have a fantastic Paris-Brest recipe to try at home. But if you’re ready to take it even further, VoilaChef offers the ultimate pastry experience!
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Ready to elevate your Paris-Brest? Let’s get baking!
