Paris-Brest (pronounced pah-ree brest) is a classic French pastry that looks impressive yet is surprisingly achievable at home. Made from crisp almond-topped choux pastry and filled with a rich praline crème mousseline, this dessert is a perfect balance of lightness and indulgence.
The pastry is baked in a ring shape, sliced horizontally, generously filled with cream, and finished with a dusting of powdered sugar. Crisp on the outside and luxuriously creamy inside, Paris-Brest is guaranteed to impress.
The Story Behind Paris-Brest
Paris-Brest dates back to the early 1900s and was created to celebrate the famous bicycle race between Paris and Brest. Newspaper editor Pierre Giffard commissioned a pastry chef to design a dessert that would promote the event and encourage cycling.
The circular shape represents a bicycle wheel, while the piped cream is said to resemble its spokes. Some also note that the ring shape echoes the victory wreaths worn by ancient Greek athletes—making Paris-Brest a dessert rich in symbolism as well as flavor.
Ingredients
For the Praline Cream
2 eggs
150 g (¾ cup) granulated sugar
60 g cornstarch (4 tbsp)
500 ml (2 cups) whole milk
