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"Paris-Brest With Chocolate Confectioners Custard"
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5 from 1 vote

Recipe For Paris-Brest

These beautiful pastries are well worth the effort
Recipe Category: Baking
All Rights Reserved: Adapted from Larousse Gastronomique page 747

Ingredients

for the praline

  • 25 g fructose
  • 25 g blanched almonds

for the choux pastry

  • 70 mls water
  • Pinch of salt
  • 40 g butter cut into small cubes
  • 14 g fructose
  • 80 g flour
  • 2 eggs

for baking the Paris-Brest

  • 1 egg yolk reserve the white for the Italian meringue
  • 25 g flaked almonds lightly toasted and crushed

for the confectioners custard

  • 125 mls milk
  • 16 g flour
  • 44 g fructose
  • 4 g butter
  • 1 egg
  • Pinch of salt

for the French butter cream

  • 50 mls milk
  • 2 eggs
  • 50 g fructose
  • 100 g butter cut into small cubes, and placed into a glass bowl
  • 40 g praline

for the Italian meringue

  • 75 g fructose
  • 25 mls water
  • 1 egg white

Method

for the praline

  • Place the nuts into a non stick frying pan and heat over a low temperature
  • Place the fructose into a stainless steel frying pan
  • Heat the fructose over a medium temperature until a caramel forms
  • Add the nuts and stir quickly
  • Pour out onto a silpat immediately
  • Leave to cool
  • Blitz in a food processor until fine

for the choux pastry

  • Preheat the oven to 180° Celsius
  • Place the water, salt, butter and fructose into a saucepan
  • Heat on a medium temperature until the butter melts
  • Increase the temperature and bring to the boil
  • Remove from the heat and add the flour
  • Mix quickly and return to the heat
  • Stir on a medium temperature until the pastry pulls away from the sides
  • Remove from the heat and leave to cool slightly
  • Using a wooden spoon beat in the eggs until completely combined and the pastry is glossy
  • Place the pastry into a piping bag with a 10mm nozzle
  • Pipe into circles that are 7.5cm in diameter, you need to pipe 3 layers per circle
  • Brush with the egg wash and sprinkle the top with the almonds
  • Bake for 25 minutes
  • Cool in the oven with the door open
  • Remove and set aside until cold

for the confectioners custard

  • Place the milk into a saucepan and bring to the boil
  • Pour into a heatproof measuring jug
  • Place the flour, fructose, butter, egg and salt into the saucepan and whisk
  • Add the milk and stir well with a wooden spoon
  • Return to the heat and boil for 2 minutes stirring constantly
  • Pour into a glass bowl and place some cling film over the top to prevent a skin from forming
  • Leave to get cold

for the French butter cream

  • Place the milk into a saucepan and bring to the boil
  • Place the eggs and the fructose into a bowl and whisk until ribbon stage
  • Pour the milk over the egg mixture, whisking continuously
  • Return to the heat on a medium temperature
  • Stir constantly with a wooden spoon until you get a thick custard
  • Pour over the butter, and whisk by hand until the butter has been incorporated
  • Leave to cool before adding the praline

for the Italian meringue

  • Place the fructose and water into a saucepan
  • Heat on a medium temperature until soft ball stage (116° Celsius)
  • Place the egg white into a stand mixer and whisk until stiff
  • Add the syrup slowly, whisking continuously
  • Continue whisking until the meringue is cold

for the Paris-Brest

  • Cut the choux rings in half horizontally
  • Mix together the confectioners custard, French butter cream and Italian meringue
  • Place into a piping bag with a large star nozzle
  • Pipe the mixture onto the bottom half of the choux rings
  • Replace the top half and enjoy

Notes

The meringue will keep in the fridge