SUNDAY DESSERT #93: Paris-Brest (roughly pronounced "Pair-ee breast"...a little maturity is appreciated for this one đ)
COUNTRY OF ORIGIN: France đŤđˇ
DIFFICULTY LEVEL: Intermediate-Advanced
INSPIRATION: This was a dessert suggestion from my friend Debra W. May we always share a love for all things cream filled. â¤ď¸
RECEPTION/COMMENTARY: Paris-Brest was invented and named in 1910 to honor a bicycle race that ran from Paris to the coastline town of Brest in France. The almond-studded pâte à choux dough is shaped in a ring to resemble the wheel of a bike. Now that's pretty creative! The ring is cut lengthwise and filled with a praline-mousseline cream. I can best describe it as a nutty version of an Êclair.
Let's talk about that filling. Mousseline is also known as German buttercream. You make it by beating together butter and vanilla pastry custard until it is whipped into submission. Praline paste is made by carmalizing roasted hazelnuts and then blending them up until it makes a thick paste. It sort of has the consistency and taste of almond butter, but sweeter. It's good! The paste is added into the mousseline cream and blended until it forms a rich, thick buttercream frosting. Oh baby!
Once assembled and dusted with powdered sugar, the Paris-Brest looks impressive! And it tastes great, too! I gave it an 8/10 rating because it is delicious, but the praline-mousseline is very rich. I recommend eating this in small portions.
WOULD I MAKE IT AGAIN? Yeah, I would. But I think I would use half the amount of praline paste so that it would have a creamier, lighter filling with just a hint of hazelnut flavor.
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