Le Paris Brest

A heritage, Le Paris Brest was originally made to celebrate the Paris-Brest-Paris bicycle race. Its circular shape represents the bicycle wheel. Add Fleur de sel de Maldon to amp up the praline flavour and reduce the sweetness.


Serves 10

Prep Time 1 hour

Cook Time 25 minutes

Chou Dough

  • 250g milk
  • 130g butter
  • a pinch of salt
  • a pinch of sugar
  • 130g flour
  • 5 eggs, whipped
  • almonds, sliced
  • Maldon salt

» In a pot, bring milk, butter, salt and sugar to a boil.

» Remove pot from the stove and stir in the flour. Then place the pot back on the stove for 4 minutes or until it forms a dough.

» Place the dough in a cold bowl and fold in the eggs.

» On a baking tray, shape the dough into a wheel and sprinkle almonds and Maldon salt on it.

» Bake the dough at 175ºC for 25 minutes. Once it is baked, leave it inside the oven to cool.

» Before assembling it, cut the pastry in two, horizontally.

Crème Pâtissière

  • 125g sugar
  • 4 egg yolks
  • 1 whole egg
  • 65g corn flour chou dough
  • 500g milk
  • 50g cream
  • 1 stick vanilla

» In a bowl, mix sugar, yolks and egg together until fluffy.

» Fold corn flour in to the egg mixture.

» In a pot, bring milk, cream and vanilla stick to a boil before straining the milk mixture.

» In a different pot, bring the milk mixture and egg mixture to a boil. Set aside. Keep it refrigerated.

Praline Butter

  • 300g praline powder
  • 500g butter

» In a bowl, mix everything together until smooth. Set aside.

Crème Anglaise

  • 3 yolks
  • 100g sugar
  • 100g milk

» In a bowl, mix the sugar and yolks until fluffy.

» In a pot, bring the milk to a boil.

» Mix the boiled milk to the egg mixture. Stir the mixture constantly to prevent the eggs from cooking.

» Over low fire, cook the egg mixture until 85ºC, then remove it and whisk until it cools down, for 10 minutes.

» Set aside. Keep it refrigerated.

Assembly

  • 100g icing sugar

» In a mixer, whip crème anglaise, praline butter and crème pâtissière until smooth.

» Place the praline butter cream in a piping bag and pipe the cream on one side of the chou pastry.

» Sprinkle icing sugar on the top.

 

PORT VINTAGE Niepoort 1952

An independent family business since 1842, the Niepoort family combines centuries-old tradition with innovation to produce distinctive Ports and Douro wines. In Vila Nova de Gaia, the Port doesn’t just mature in the cellar, it is nurtured as well. Celebrated winemaker, Dirk van der Niepoort, makes sure to top off his Colheita and Garrafeira Port with the wines from the exact same vintage (to make up whatever that is lost to evaporation, a.k.a. “the angel’s share.”).

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