Paris Brest Recipe

Paris breast recipe is a French dessert made with choux pastry filled with hazelnut and almond creme mousseline ( Cream mousseline is pastry cream (crème pâtissière) mixed with whipped butter). It is a silky smooth filling so rich and flavourful and the entire dessert is just irresistible.

paris brest dessert origine

What is the story behind Paris Brest or the definition of Paris best? Paris Brest is named and invented by Louis Durand, pâtissier of Maisons-Laffitte, at the request of Pierre Giffard in 1910 for the bicycle race that runs from the French capital, Paris, to Brest, a town in Brittany. Its circular shape is representative of the wheels of the bicycle.

Paris Brest

The first time I heard about Paris Brest was in France hahaha when I was at Lyon at Paul Bocuse culinary institute. As a first-year apprentice, we made the Paris breast recipe and I was instantly fascinated by this dessert. Its shape, it’s filling, and the way it was piped. I remember doing it at school and after becoming a chef I never made this dessert. Because there are hazelnuts and almonds in this recipe which in my opinion is the best combo yummm, it is also known as hazelnut Paris breast and almond Paris Brest

And when I was looking up some ideas and recipes to create for the Vitamix brand. Paris breast instantly came into mind. The reason is Paris breast has 2 fillings called pate de noisette and pate d’amande unless you have a good blender like Vitamix you won’t be able to make it. The reason is, this filling literally with 2 or 3 ingredients turns into a paste and the Vitamix with its efficient blades and speed control can facilitate this process, unlike other blenders.

How To Make Paris Brest

I am not going to lie making Paris breast is quite the effort and requires many steps. But If you are a foodie and keen on some adventurous and nouvelle cuisine, then here is a foolproof recipe. This recipe is a direct copy of my french recipes from school but I had to modify certain ingredients to suit ingredients available in Australia. There are 3 parts to this recipe

Step 1: Making the filling (Praline Crème Mousseline)

This consist of 3 recipes

Almond praline paste (Pate de praline aux amande)Hazelnut paste (Pate de Noisette)Creme mousseline ( crème pâtissière (Pastry cream)and whipped butter)

Some recipes combine Pate de Noisette and Pate de praline aux amande and make one recipe called Praline paste, but I will be doing this as two and combining at a later stage. You also can simply buy praline paste and skip making ate de noisette and Pate de praline aux amande.

Step 2: Making the choux pastry

Step 3: Piping the Paris Brest filling

Step 4: Serve and enjoy

paris brest ingredients

Making filling Recipe 1 :Pate de praline aux amande (Almond praline paste)

These 3 ingredients will turn into a smooth peanut butter-like consistency paste

How to make Pate de praline aux amande ( Almond praline paste)

Just like making candied nuts, the almonds are turned into candied nuts, cooled then blitzed in the Vitamix

Making filling Recipe 2 pate de Noisette (Hazelnut paste)

How to make Pate de Noisette ( Hazelnut paste)

Simply blending it in the vitamix will turn this into a smooth paste

How to make crème pâtissière ( Pastry cream)

crème pâtissière also known as pastry cream is easy to make and it is basically thick custard

Paris Brest Filling

Now all the fillings made above are combined. But first butter needs to be whipped,then all other pastes are added which turns into a delicious pipeable filling for Paris Brest

Paris Brest Pastry (Choux)

This is the same recipe as a choux, but since the pairs brest pastry have to be a bit hard the quantities and temperatures are adjusted accordingly. You cannot omit any ingredients.

How To Make Paris Brest pastry

The same process and making choux pastry. You need to pipe it in a round (3 rounds) two next to each other, other on top of the two, then dust with sliced almonds and bake

How to decorate Paris breast

Decorating Paris breast is simple ( Please see video for instructions) with a star nozzle pipe the cream in a circular motion.

The Essential Equipment Needed To Make Paris Brest

Chef knifeChopping boardMixing bowlSpatularVitamix

How To Store Paris Brest

Paris breast is eaten cold and can be stored in the refrigerator for up to 3 days but best eaten the day of making it. Like any choux dessert, the pastry tends to get soggy after a few hours with the filling.