How to make Paris Brest
Here is a classic french pastry recipe that includes a hazelnut praline mousseline. Sometimes there is nothing better than a classic recipe and in this case a delicious pastry. Have it for breakfast, or in the middle of the day with a coffee. Doesn’t really matter when you have it because it all tastes great going down! To me the pate a choux dough is one of the easiest to make and very versatile. You can bake it, fry it, or steam it or boil it. In this recipe it is simply baked, filled with hazelnut praline mousseline, and topped with almonds and powdered sugar. Here is the recipe I hope you enjoy it!
Recipe Ingredients
Pate a choux dough (cream puff dough)
1 cup of flour
1 cup of milk
1 stick of butter
2 tsp of sugar
1/4 tsp of salt
4 eggs
Praliné Recipe / Hazelnut Paste
4 ounces (120g) almonds
2.7 ounces (80g) hazelnuts
A pinch of salt
7 ounces (210g) powdered sugar, granulated or pearl sugar.
Pastry cream
2 cups milk
1/2 cup of sugar
1 vanilla bean
4 egg yolks
1/4 cup of corn starch
2 tbsp of butter
pinch of salt
To whip with the chilled custard
8 ounces (240g) praliné paste
10 Tbsp (150g) high quality unsalted butter, at room temp
Powdered sugar for dusting and 1 cup of sliced almonds.
Recipe Instructions
How to make Praline,
Toast nuts in a 375ºF oven for about 10 minutes. Then take out and let them cool. Meanwhile make the caramel. In a hot saucepan add sugar over medium high heat and cook until it turns brown but not dark brown. Then, add the remaining sugar and cook until melted and brown. Turn off the heat and fold in the toasted nuts. Transfer the caramelized nuts onto a silicon mat and let cool completely. Once cooled, Break into pieces and place in the food processor. Blend for 5 minutes or until it turns into paste. Save 8 ounces for the praliné mousseline and refrigerate praliné leftover for months for later use.
How to make pate a choux Brest,
Preheat oven to 400 degrees, In a small pot add milk (or corn juice), butter, sugar, and salt. Bring to a simmer. As soon as the butter has completely melted stir in the flour with a wooden spoon and turn down the heat to low. Incorporate all the flour thoroughly and cook for about 1 minute. Transfer the dough to a stand mixer with a paddle attachment. Turn on medium speed for a minute and then turn down to low speed. Crack the four eggs into a measuring cup and add them to the dough one at a time. Make sure the egg completely incorporates before adding the next egg. Continue until all the eggs have been added. Then take the dough and place in a pastry bag fitted with a french star tip. On a sheet pan lined with parchment paper pipe small 4 inch circles of the dough. You can draw a perfect circle with a pencil or pen on one side of the paper. Then you can flip it over so you have your template and the food doesn’t touch the drawn circle. You want to pipe the circle firmly, somewhat quickly, and smoothly. When you get to the end of the circle to complete your ring on the paper, you can wet your finger with water and push it down any dough that is sticking up without it sticking to you or looking bad. Dust the dough with powdered sugar and coat with sliced almonds. Place the sheet pan in the oven and immediately turn down to 350 degrees bake for about 30-35 minutes until light brown. Then turn down the oven to 325 and bake for another 15 minutes. Take out and let them cool completely.
How to make Pastry Cream,
Scald the milk and vanilla bean in a medium sauce pot. Turn off the heat when the milk starts to a boil. Beat the egg yolks and sugar in a food set to high, until the eggs and sugar form pale white ribbons. Add the flour to the eggs and beat for 30 seconds. Temper the eggs by whisking in one ladle of milk at a time until all the milk is incorporated with the egg and flour mixture. Place the egg mixture back onto low heat and whisk continually to thicken the pudding. Allow about 10-12 minutes, but don't boil. Once it has thickened finish by whisking in the cold butter. Pour the pudding into a bowl through a fine mesh strainer. Place a piece of plastic wrap on the surface of the pudding so it doesn't form a skin, place in the refrigerator. Leave the vanilla bean in the pudding until everything has cooled, then discard the bean.
How to make Praline mousseline
Beat chilled custard on high speed for one minute or until smooth. Then, mix in the praliné paste. Add 10 tablespoons butter and continue beating until creamy and fluffy; about 5 minutes. Place in a pastry bag with a french pastry tip.
To Finish,
Take a serrated knife and cut the breast in half horizontally. Then take your pastry bag full of the praline mousseline and pipe on the bottom half of the breast. You can do a thin layer to cover the bottom and then come back over the top of the first layer of the mousseline to make sure it is full and nice looking. Then place the top on and dust generously with powdered sugar. This can be done ahead of time. Serve and enjoy!
