Paris-Brest: Any unique variations out there?

[gfron1]

Our town has had a bike tour for about 15 years and this year scored a major coup by having a competing race fold due to loss of sponsorship (Chrysler), and obtaining a multi-year deal for a major sponsor of their own. The result is that we'll have one of the largest and most prestigious races in the country, and one that international racers come to because it is a great training race for the Tour de France. With all of that, I want to honor our visiting teams by making Paris-Brests.

From all that I can tell, its just a choux ring with pastry cream filling. Easy enough. But has anyone seen any unique recipes or designs that might be helpful? Thanks.

[Dave Hatfield]

Our town has had a bike tour for about 15 years and this year scored a major coup by having a competing race fold due to loss of sponsorship (Chrysler), and obtaining a multi-year deal for a major sponsor of their own.  The result is that we'll have one of the largest and most prestigious races in the country, and one that international racers come to because it is a great training race for the Tour de France.  With all of that, I want to honor our visiting teams by making Paris-Brests. 

From all that I can tell, its just a choux ring with pastry cream filling.  Easy enough.  But has anyone seen any unique recipes or designs that might be helpful?  Thanks.

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Had trawl through the web and a look through my French cook books and didn't come up with anything out of what I think you already know.

Some thoughts about almonds in the choux & on top, some interesting variations on the pastry cream. Nothing special.

I'll keep trying. Good luck.

[gfron1]

If all else fails, I'll be doing a sage pastry cream with piñon on top to homage our race, but since I've never had one, I guess I'm just looking for inspiration. Thanks Dave.

[zoe b]

that sounds delish--maybe use some brown or Mexican sugar in the pastry cream for regional oomph.

[Ptipois]

Technically Paris-Brest is not a choux ring filled with crème pâtissière.

It is a distinctly different thing: a choux ring (sprinkled with chopped hazelnuts before baking) filled with praliné (hazelnut) buttercream, or a mixture of praliné buttercream and crème pâtissière for those who find buttercream too consistent.

[hansjoakim]

Sorry I'm so late to the party!

How did your Paris-Brests turn out, gfron1?

I've only made Paris-Brest once, but I was very happy with the taste... definitely something I'll have a go at sometime soon. I made pretty small choux wheels (approx. 10 cm in diameter), that I sprinkled with chopped almonds and sugar, and filled with a mix of pastry cream, praline paste and butter.

Not sure about variations however - I've seen some that make a cute "inner tube" to their Paris-Brest. Just pipe a slightly smaller wheel with a smaller, plain tip, and place that inside the baked outer wheel just before you pipe cream. I think I would prefer a tubeless version as that comes with more cream

Edited June 9, 2009 by hansjoakim (log)

[Ptipois]

These look pretty good to me. I have never seen the inner tube, a Paris-Brest does have to be hollow in the middle.

[hansjoakim]

These look pretty good to me. I have never seen the inner tube, a Paris-Brest does have to be hollow in the middle.

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Thanks Ptipois!!

I first saw the inner tube here: La Cerise: Paris-Brest.

[Ptipois]

Thanks Ptipois!! 

I first saw the inner tube here: La Cerise: Paris-Brest.

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Ah, I understand this 'inner tube thing'. I hadn't gotten it right. The recipe on the blog is from a Pierre Hermé book. So the 'inner tube' is only a 'store-bought pastry' gizmo meant to raise the height of the Paris-Brest and make it appear plumper. Besides it acts as a frame that increases the stability and the durability of the pastry on a shelf. It makes little sense for home-made pastry as it wouldn't either for restaurant pastry (unless you're making a very large Paris-Brest). Paris-Brest does not contain that thing as a rule. It should be very light, without a bone in the middle

There is always this thing with French pastry shop (and particularly Hermé) recipes, you have to bear in mind that they are designed for shelf life.

Edited June 10, 2009 by Ptipois (log)

[gfron1]

Hans -sorry for not reporting back. If you followed the 100000 bikers topic you saw that the last minute chaos of whether Armstrong was coming dominated the event. At one point I was asked to provide a welcome basket for him which is what this would have gone in. But that dissolved at the last minute so i never made the pastry. In my testings i ended up with a sage dough and prickly pear filling. It was good but nothing too exciting to me.