Paris-Brest with Hazelnut Praline Cream

Method

Praline paste

1. Toast hazelnuts at 350°F 10 min. Rub in towel to remove skins.

2. Cook sugar and water to amber caramel. Add hazelnuts, stir to coat.

   Stir only when necessary. Constant stirring prevents browning and can break down ingredients that benefit from sustained heat contact.

3. Pour onto oiled parchment. Cool completely.

   Cool to room temperature before the next step. Adding hot ingredients to cold (or vice versa) can cause sauces to break, pastry to melt, and textures to suffer.

4. Break into pieces, process in food processor until it becomes a smooth, oily paste (5–8 min, scraping sides). It will go from crumbs → powder → ball → paste.

Choux ring

1. Preheat oven to 400°F. Trace an 8" circle on parchment (flip paper over).

   A properly preheated pan is non-negotiable. If the oil doesn't shimmer and a drop of water doesn't sizzle on contact, the pan isn't ready. Cold pans cause sticking and prevent browning.

2. Pipe choux dough in a ring following the circle, then pipe a second ring inside, then a third on top.

3. Brush with egg wash, scatter almonds.

4. Bake 400°F 20 min, reduce to 350°F 15–20 min until deep golden and hollow.

   Reducing a sauce concentrates its flavors and thickens its consistency. Watch it carefully in the final minutes — the difference between a perfectly reduced sauce and a scorched one is about 60 seconds of inattention.

5. Cool completely on rack.

   Cool to room temperature before the next step. Adding hot ingredients to cold (or vice versa) can cause sauces to break, pastry to melt, and textures to suffer.

Praline cream

1. Whisk praline paste into cold pastry cream until smooth.
2. Fold in whipped cream in two additions. Chill until ready to use.

Assemble

1. Slice choux ring in half horizontally.
2. Pipe praline cream generously onto bottom half using a star tip.
3. Place top half on. Dust with powdered sugar.

Equipment

• Tongs Also good: Wok Spatula
• Food processor Recommended: Vitamix VX1
• Whisk Recommended: OXO Good Grips 11-Inch Balloon Whisk
• Pastry brush Recommended: OXO Good Grips Silicone Pastry Brush

Chef Notes

• The most important thing: Low heat is everything. High heat makes eggs rubbery. Keep the pan at medium-low and stir constantly for the creamiest result.
• Let the oven fully preheat — at least 15 minutes. An under-heated oven produces pale, steamed food instead of caramelized, roasted food.
• This recipe improves overnight as the flavors meld. Make it a day ahead if you can — it's even better reheated.
• Taste as you go and adjust seasoning at the end. Salt levels change as liquids reduce and flavors concentrate.

Common Substitutions

Ingredient	Substitution	Notes
Cream	Coconut cream or cashew cream	Coconut adds sweetness. Cashew is most neutral.

What You're Learning

• Pâte à choux: the dough that's cooked twice (stovetop then oven)
• Praline paste from scratch — patience with the food processor is key
• Lightening pastry cream with whipped cream (crème légère / diplomat cream)
• Piping technique for both choux and filling
• This is a showpiece dessert built entirely from foundation components

Foundations Referenced

• → Pâte à Choux
• → Pastry Cream

What You're Practicing

Bread baking teaches fermentation, gluten development, and the patience to let time do the work. Understanding how yeast, flour, water, and salt interact is one of the most fundamental skills in cooking. Visit Pastry Foundations for more on dough science.

Pastry work teaches precision — exact measurements, temperature control, and understanding how gluten, fat, and water interact. These fundamentals apply to every baked good, from pie crust to croissants. Visit Pastry Foundations for the complete guide.