How to make the legendary Paris–Brest

A Paris–Brest is a French dessert, made of choux pastry and a praline flavoured cream.

The round pastry, in the form of a wheel, was created in 1910 by Louis Durand, pâtissier of Maisons-Laffitte, at the request of Pierre Giffard, to commemorate the Paris–Brest–Paris bicycle race he had initiated in 1891.

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Paris–Brest Recipe:

[Makes 6-8]

CHOUX PASTRY

250ml water

100g butter

250ml flour sifted

3-4 eggs

250g strawberries, sliced

150g dark chocolate, melted

FILLING

375ml cream

15ml icing sugar

CHOUX: Put the water and butter in a saucepan and bring to the boil.

Remove from the heat and add in all the flour. Beat vigorously with a wooden spoon until the mixture forms a ball in the centre of the pan. Remove from pan and allow to cool completely.

Put the dough in an electric mixer and add the eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition. Add only enough of the fourth egg to make a dough that is stiff and shiny and holds its shape.

Place the mixture into a piping bag fitted with a 1.5cm plain nozzle and pipe 10cm circles on to a baking tray lined with non-stick baking paper.

Bake at 180°C for 20-30 minutes until puffed up and golden brown.

Remove and pierce the side of each puff for steam to escape. Return to oven and turn the temperature down to 160°C for another 5 minutes. Remove and cool completely and fill.

FILLING: Whip the cream and icing sugar until stiff.

Split the baked rings in half and fill with cream and strawberries.

Drizzle the top with melted chocolate.