Paris Brest made in India - Daring Baker Group Challenge #choux #pastry

The November Daring Baker’s Challenge took us for a ride! Luisa from Rise of the Sourdough  challenged us to make Paris Brest, a beautiful pastry celebrating the Paris Brest bicycle race.

It is not difficult to understand the level of excitement I had when I got approved by "The daring kitchen" as a "Daring Baker". But the excitement was short lived as soon the monthly challenge for November- 2014 was updated and I thought I was screwed! I was scared after seeing the picture and recipe and so did my friend. It looks like a stunner and every step of it says a show stopper is on its way...

Frankly, I could never really thought of making Pate a Choux before this one. But finally after being really tensed for few hours I finally decided to give it a great shot. I had to shake of this nervousness that I used to feel very often during exams. The first was the pate a choux. After making it just once I got all my confidence back and as result the first "Paris Brest" was a massacre. Even though my partner said it tasted delicious (well, it should be) but I was unhappy and almost at the verge of tagging myself useless (again). However, this was the 2nd try and even thought it wasn't really picture perfect it was absolutely lip smacking! I really should thank Daring Baker group for putting me in such a pressure test.There are 3 components of this dish. 

1. Pâte à choux

2. Creme Mousseline

3. Praline

I made the Praline first and then the Creme Mousseline and at last I made the beautiful Choux Pastry. Multiple process are there but all you need to do is to keep your head cool. So let us start with the praline.

Ingredients for Praline-

• 1/2 cup whole peanuts
• 1/2 cup whole cashew
• 6-7 tbsp caster sugar
• 1 tbsp water

Method-

• On medium heat, put the sugar in a non stick pan. Add the water and let it come to boil. Once the syrup starts to boil it will also start getting dense.
• Add the nuts in it and stir well to cover the nuts in the syrup. Stop stirring and let it crystallize once. Then start stirring again for a few minutes.
• Once all the nuts are caramelized remove the pan from heat. Pour the caramelized nuts in a heat resistant tray and let it cool down.
• Once it is cooled completely blend it in a grinder till you get a thick paste.

Now, one crucial component of this dish is complete and the next step is to prepare the Crème Mousseline. I found this as the most tricky part in the whole dish. In my 1st try I got a very liquid creme which I don't even want to call as creme. I was disheartened and disappointed on myself and it took a couple of days to gather my courage and make Crème Mousseline as perfectly as I could.

Ingredients for Crème Mousseline

• 1 cup milk
• 2 egg yolks
• 3 tbsp flour
• 1/3 cup caster sugar
• 2/3 cup of good quality butter
• few drops of vanilla extract
• 80 gm praline

Method-

• Boil the milk with a few drop of vanilla extract. Once boiled put it aside and let it cool down a bit.
• Whisk the sugar and egg yolks vigorously till you get a white mixture. Add the flour in it. Keep mixing till you get the uniform mixture.
• Slowly add the milk in it till you get the uniform mixture. Do not make it too runny as that will spoil it totally.
• Put the mixture on medium heat, keep stirring till the cream thickens.
• Transfer the mixture in a bowl, cover with cling film and let it cool.
• Once the creme is cool mix it with praline and softened butter. Keep mixing till it becomes homogenous.

Pâte à choux is the most crucial part of Paris Brest as it holds all the elements together. Before trying the Paris Brest you should try making the Choux Pastry a few times so that you can make the Paris Brest well at the first attempt. Even though it is extremely challenging to make the perfect French Pastry at the very first attempt but that is definitely possible if you try hard. 

The recipe I followed, asked to use 3 eggs where I used 2 eggs as the 3rd one was making the mixture too runny. So, Here goes the recipe of Pâte à choux-

Ingredients for Pâte à choux

• 1/2 cup (80 ml) water
• 100 ml whole milk
• 1/3 tsp salt
• 1 tsp caster sugar
• 75-80 gm cold butter
• 100 gm cake flour
• 2 eggs, beaten
• extra egg for brushing

Method-

• Pre-heat the microwave oven in 180 degree C.
• In a deep non stick saucepan pour the milk, salt, sugar and water on medium heat, bring it to boil.
• Add the flour all together and using a wooden spatula stir vigorously. Stir till you get a firm and uniform dough that is separated from the bottom of the pan easily.
• Pour the dough in a mixer grinder. Add the eggs one at a time. Keep mixing on medium speed. Once it start forming small peaks, that is the consistency you are looking for. It will be smooth and creamy.
• Now cover the baking tray with baking paper or aluminium foil. Brush some butter/oil on it.
• Using the piping nozzles, make 4 inch circles of the creamy mixture. Brush it with beaten eggs.
• Now bake it in 180 degree C for 23-26 minutes. (Mine took 26 minutes).
• The color of the Pâte à choux will be golden brown.

Assembling the components-

• Once the Pâte à choux is cooled down, slice it from middle.
• Using the piping nozzle, properly pipe the Crème Mousseline in between.
• Brush some caramel, sprinkle some silver almonds on top. Or decorate it anyway you want.