Paris-Brest Recipe

This elegant French pastry is a ring of baked pâte à choux (choux pastry), often resembling a bicycle wheel, filled with a rich crème pâtissière (custard) and whipped cream.

Paris Brest Recipe

Ingredients (Pâte à Choux Pastry Dough)

Ingredients (Custard)

Ingredients (Whipped Cream)

How To Make

Part 1: Make the Custard (Crème Pâtissière)

Step 1: Whisk Base: In a large bowl, whisk the 3 eggs and 1 egg yolk with the 2/3 cup granulated sugar until thick and pale yellow. Add the 1/4 cup cornstarch, 1/4 cup flour, and 1/8 tsp salt, and whisk again to combine.

Step 2: Temper Eggs: In a medium saucepan, heat 2 cups milk until scalding hot (steaming, but not boiling). Pour about 1/4 cup of the hot milk into the egg bowl and whisk vigorously to temper the eggs.

Step 3: Thicken Custard: Pour the entire tempered egg mixture into the saucepan with the remaining milk. Move the saucepan back over to medium-low heat and continue to whisk the mixture constantly until it thickens into a thick, pudding-like consistency (7-9 minutes).

Step 4: Chill: Pour the hot custard into a large bowl, then add the 1 tsp vanilla extract. Whisk to incorporate the vanilla and smooth out any clumps. Cover the custard with plastic wrap, placing the wrap directly onto the surface to prevent a skin from forming. Refrigerate until fully chilled.

Part 2: Make the Pâte à Choux Pastry

Step 5: Boil Butter Mixture: On the day of serving, preheat oven to 425F (220C). In a small saucepan, heat the 1/2 cup butter, 1 cup water, 1 tsp sugar, and 1/2 tsp salt over medium heat until the butter has melted and the mixture simmers. Remove from heat.

Step 6: Make Dough: Add the 1 cup flour and stir with a wooden spoon. Move the saucepan back over to low heat and continue to stir vigorously for 1-2 minutes until the dough pulls away from the sides and bottom of the pan and no moisture remains. Remove the pan from heat.

Step 7: Add Eggs: Add the 4 eggs, one at a time, stirring very well after each addition until the egg is completely mixed in. The finished result should look like a thick, glossy paste/dough. Let the dough rest in the saucepan.

Part 3: Pipe, Bake, and Cool

Step 8: Pipe Wreath: Trace a 9-inch circle on parchment paper and flip the paper over onto a baking sheet. Use a cookie scooper or pastry bag to place round mounds of dough (1 1/2 to 2 inches) along the traced circumference, pressing them together so they touch.

Step 9: Bake: Bake at 425F for 10 minutes. WITHOUT opening the door, lower the heat to 375F and continue to bake for another 20-25 minutes, or until the pastry is a deep golden hue.

Step 10: Dry and Cool: Once baked, gently pierce each mound with a sharp knife to let out steam. Turn the oven off, leave the oven door slightly ajar, and let the puffs rest inside for another 15 minutes. Remove and cool completely on a wire rack.

Part 4: Assemble

Step 11: Make Whipped Cream: Create the whipped cream by whisking the 2 cups heavy cream on high speed for 1 minute until it thickens. Add the 1/4 cup powdered sugar and 1 tsp vanilla extract and continue to whisk until soft peaks form.

Step 12: Fill and Finish: Take a sharp knife and horizontally slice through the center of the entire pastry wreath, lifting the top half and setting it aside. Scoop the chilled custard into each puff’s bottom half cavity. Pipe or spoon the whipped cream on top of the custard layer. Gently transfer the top half of the wreath back into place and finish with a dusting of powdered sugar.