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
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2 eggs
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150 g (¾ cup) granulated sugar
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60 g cornstarch (4 tbsp)
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500 ml (2 cups) whole milk
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160 g (⅔ cup) butter, room temperature
For the Choux Pastry
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100 ml water (¼ cup + 3 tbsp)
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100 ml milk (¼ cup + 3 tbsp)
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A pinch of salt
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A pinch of sugar
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80 g (⅓ cup) unsalted butter
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120 g (1 cup) all-purpose flour
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4 eggs, room temperature
For Decorating
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Sliced almonds
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Powdered sugar
How to Make Paris-Brest
1. Prepare the Cream
Whisk the eggs and sugar in a saucepan until smooth. Add cornstarch and mix well. Pour in the milk and cook over medium heat, stirring constantly, until thickened (about 3–4 minutes). Transfer to a bowl, cover with plastic wrap touching the surface, and let cool completely.
2. Make the Choux Pastry
In a saucepan, combine water, milk, salt, sugar, and butter. Heat until the butter melts. Remove from heat, add the flour all at once, and stir vigorously. Return to heat and cook for 1–2 minutes, stirring constantly, until the dough pulls away from the pan.
Transfer to a bowl and let cool slightly. Gradually whisk in the eggs until smooth. Transfer the dough to a piping bag.
3. Pipe and Bake
Preheat oven to 200°C (400°F). Draw an 18 cm (7-inch) circle on parchment paper and flip it over.
Pipe two concentric rings and a third ring on top. Brush with beaten egg and sprinkle with sliced almonds. Bake for 15 minutes, then reduce temperature to 160°C (320°F) and bake for another 25 minutes. Let cool completely.
4. Assemble
Beat the butter until light and fluffy. Gradually add the cooled cream and beat until smooth. Transfer to a piping bag.
Slice the choux ring horizontally, pipe cream onto the bottom half, place the top half over it, and dust with powdered sugar.
Tips for Success
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Let the choux dough cool before adding eggs to avoid scrambling them
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Stir the dough thoroughly after adding flour to ensure proper puffing
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For variation, substitute pistachios for almonds
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Paris-Brest is best served fresh, but the cream can be made ahead
Storage
Store leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 2 days. Note that the choux pastry will soften over time.
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