The Paris Brest with custard cream is one of my favorite French desserts: elegant, scenic, and incredibly delicious. I have always loved its ring shape, reminiscent of a bicycle wheel. It was no accident that it was invented in 1891 by pastry chef Louis Durand to celebrate the Paris–Brest–Paris cycling race.
Compared to the original version, which features mousseline cream, I propose an even more irresistible variant: a vanilla-scented custard cream enriched with dark chocolate chips.
In my house, the Paris Brest has become a special Sunday dessert. I often make it when I want to pamper my family with something made with love. It reminds me of afternoons in the kitchen with my mother, when I was learning to make my first cream puffs… If you want to try them too, here is my cream puff recipe.
The preparation requires a bit of attention, especially in making the choux pastry, but with a few tricks you will achieve a perfect result.
Let’s prepare it together! See you soon,
Susy
Also try:
- Difficulty: Easy
- Cost: Economical
- Preparation time: 30 Minutes
- Portions: 8/10
- Cooking methods: Oven
- Cuisine: French
- Energy 284.09 (Kcal)
- Carbohydrates 30.05 (g) of which sugars 16.44 (g)
- Proteins 7.70 (g)
- Fat 15.52 (g) of which saturated 8.66 (g)of which unsaturated 6.42 (g)
- Fibers 0.42 (g)
- Sodium 70.86 (mg)
Indicative values for a portion of 100 g processed in an automated way starting from the nutritional information available on the CREA* and FoodData Central** databases. It is not food and / or nutritional advice.
* CREATES Food and Nutrition Research Center: https://www.crea.gov.it/alimenti-e-nutrizione https://www.alimentinutrizione.it ** U.S. Department of Agriculture, Agricultural Research Service. FoodData Central, 2019. https://fdc.nal.usda.gov
Ingredients for the Paris Brest with custard cream
- 1 cup cup water
- 7 tbsps tbsp butter
- 1 tsp sugar
- 1 1/4 cups cups all-purpose flour (sifted)
- 1 pinch salt
- 4 eggs (medium size)
- 2 cups cups milk
- 2/3 cup cup sugar
- 2/3 cup cup egg yolk
- 1/3 cup cup cornstarch
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- as needed dark chocolate chips
- as needed sliced almonds
You will need
- Small pot
- Hand whisk
- Piping bag
- Star nozzle
Prepare the Paris Brest with custard cream
Pour the milk into a small pot with the vanilla extract and bring almost to a boil. In the meantime, mix the egg yolks with the sugar and cornstarch in a bowl. When the milk is hot, pour it into the bowl with the yolks, stirring quickly with a whisk.
Return the mixture to the heat and cook over low heat, always stirring, until the cream thickens. Once ready, transfer it to a bowl, cover with plastic wrap in contact and let it cool completely.In a small pot, put water, butter, sugar, and salt and bring to a boil. Lower the heat and add the flour all at once, stirring vigorously with a wooden spoon.
When the dough comes away from the sides and sizzles, transfer it to the mixer with the paddle attachment. After letting it cool slightly, add the eggs one at a time, waiting for each egg to be absorbed before adding the next one.
The choux pastry is ready when, lifting it with the spatula, it forms a ribbon..
Transfer the dough into a piping bag with a star nozzle. On a baking sheet lined with parchment paper, draw a 9-inch circle and create 3 concentric circles, avoiding overlapping too much.
Sprinkle with sliced almonds and bake in a preheated static oven at 390°F for 15 minutes, then lower to 355°F for another 20 minutes. At the end of cooking, turn off the oven and leave the door ajar to let out the moisture.When the Paris Brest is completely cold, cut it in half. Fill the base with the custard cream and chocolate chips. Close with the second disc and dust with powdered sugar.
Let it rest in the refrigerator for at least an hour before serving. The result? A refined dessert, perfect for surprising friends and family!
Tips and Storage
You can prepare the cream the day before and store it in the fridge. The dessert keeps in the refrigerator for 2 days, well-covered.
Want an even richer version? Add dark chocolate flakes on top too!
You can prepare the cream the day before and store it in the fridge. The dessert keeps in the refrigerator for 2 days, well-covered.
Want an even richer version? Add dark chocolate flakes on top too!
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