Paris-Brest is the kind of dessert that makes everyone at the table pause for a second. It looks fancy, smells like toasted almonds and butter, and hides a fluffy praline cream inside a crisp golden choux ring. Very dramatic. Very French. Very worth it.
This classic French pastry is shaped like a wheel, which feels charmingly specific until you learn it was created to celebrate a bicycle race. A pastry with a backstory and praline cream? We love an overachiever.
If choux pastry makes you nervous, take a breath and grab a wooden spoon. I promise this is doable at home. The trick is knowing what the dough should look like, when to stop adding eggs, and how to bake it so the ring puffs, dries, and stays crisp.
By the end, you’ll know how to make a Paris-Brest with:
- A crisp, hollow choux pastry ring
- Smooth praline cream that holds its shape
- Toasty sliced almonds on top
- Pastry-shop energy from your very own kitchen
Quick Background: What Is Paris-Brest?
Paris-Brest is a French pastry made from choux pastry, the same dough used for cream puffs and éclairs. It was created in 1910 to celebrate the Paris to Brest bicycle race, which explains its signature round “wheel” shape.
The classic version is piped into a ring, topped with sliced almonds, baked until crisp, then split and filled with praline cream. The filling is usually flavored with hazelnut or almond praline paste, giving it that deep, nutty, caramelized flavor that makes you close your eyes for a tiny moment.
What makes Paris-Brest special is the contrast. Crisp choux. Creamy filling. Crunchy almonds. A dusting of powdered sugar. It’s elegant, but not fussy once you understand the rhythm.
Ingredients
Choux Ring
- 1/2 cup (120 ml) water
- 1/2 cup (120 ml) whole milk
Milk adds tenderness and color. You can use all water, but the pastry will be slightly less rich.
- 1/2 cup (113 g) unsalted butter, cubed
- 1 tablespoon granulated sugar
- 1/2 teaspoon fine salt
- 1 cup (125 g) all-purpose flour
- 4 large eggs, room temperature
You may not need every last drop. Choux is about texture, not just counting eggs.
Praline Cream Filling
- 2 cups (480 ml) whole milk
- 1/2 cup (100 g) granulated sugar, divided
- 4 large egg yolks
- 3 tablespoons cornstarch
- Pinch of fine salt
- 2 tablespoons (28 g) unsalted butter
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1/2 cup (150 g) praline paste
Praline paste is a smooth paste made from caramelized nuts, usually hazelnuts, almonds, or both. Look for hazelnut praline paste or almond-hazelnut praline paste. In a pinch, use a high-quality hazelnut spread, but the filling will be sweeter and softer.
- 1 cup (240 ml) cold heavy cream
Topping and Finishing
- 1 egg, beaten, for egg wash
- 1/2 cup (45 g) sliced almonds
- Powdered sugar, for dusting
Equipment
Essential Tools
- Baking sheet
- Parchment paper
- Pencil and 8-inch round cake pan or plate, for tracing
- Medium saucepan
- Wooden spoon or sturdy spatula
- Mixing bowls
- Whisk
- Piping bag
- Large star tip or large round tip
- Serrated knife
- Fine-mesh sieve, helpful for smooth pastry cream
Optional Helpful Tools
- Stand mixer with paddle attachment
- Instant-read thermometer
- Offset spatula
- Small saucepan for warming praline paste if needed
- Second piping bag for the filling
Step-by-Step Instructions
1. Prepare the Baking Sheet
Preheat the oven to 400°F (200°C).
Line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Trace an 8-inch circle on the underside of the parchment, then flip the paper over so the pencil does not touch the pastry.
A traced guide helps you pipe a neat ring. Choux likes confidence, but it also appreciates a little structure.
2. Make the Choux Dough
In a medium saucepan, combine the water, milk, butter, sugar, and salt. Bring the mixture to a full boil over medium heat. The butter should be completely melted before you add the flour.
Add the flour all at once. Stir immediately with a wooden spoon or sturdy spatula. The mixture will look lumpy at first, then come together into a smooth dough.
Keep cooking and stirring for 2 to 3 minutes. You want a thin film to form on the bottom of the pan, and the dough should pull away from the sides. This step dries the dough slightly, which helps the choux puff properly.
Transfer the dough to a mixing bowl or stand mixer bowl. Let it cool for 5 minutes, stirring once or twice to release steam. If the dough is too hot, it can scramble the eggs, and nobody invited breakfast to this pastry party.
Add the eggs one at a time, mixing well after each addition. After the third egg, check the texture before adding the fourth.
The dough is ready when it is glossy, thick, and slowly falls from the spoon in a V shape. If it is stiff and breaks off in chunks, add more beaten egg a little at a time. If it runs like batter, it has too much egg and may spread.
3. Pipe and Shape the Ring
Spoon the choux dough into a piping bag fitted with a large star tip or round tip.
Pipe one ring directly over your traced circle. Pipe a second ring just inside the first, touching it. Then pipe a third ring on top, centered between the bottom two rings.
This gives the Paris-Brest height and that lovely split-ready shape. If any spots look uneven, smooth them gently with a damp fingertip.
4. Add Egg Wash and Almonds
Brush the ring lightly with beaten egg. Be gentle so you do not flatten the ridges.
Sprinkle sliced almonds generously over the top. Some will fall off. That is normal. Consider it the pastry’s confetti phase.
5. Bake and Dry the Choux
Bake at 400°F (200°C) for 15 minutes. Do not open the oven door during this time. The steam inside the dough is what lifts the pastry, and a blast of cool air can make it collapse.
Reduce the oven temperature to 350°F (175°C) and bake for another 30 to 35 minutes, until deeply golden and firm.
Turn off the oven. Use a small knife to poke a few tiny vents in the side of the ring to release steam. Return it to the turned-off oven with the door cracked open for 15 minutes.
This drying step helps prevent soggy pastry. The ring should feel light, crisp, and hollow when cooled.
Let the choux ring cool completely before filling.
6. Make the Praline Pastry Cream
In a medium saucepan, heat the milk with half of the sugar until steaming.
In a bowl, whisk the egg yolks, remaining sugar, cornstarch, and salt until smooth and pale. Slowly pour about 1/2 cup of the hot milk into the yolk mixture while whisking. This gently warms the eggs.
Pour the tempered egg mixture back into the saucepan. Cook over medium heat, whisking constantly, until the pastry cream thickens and bubbles. Once it bubbles, cook for about 1 minute more to remove any starchy taste.
Remove from heat. Whisk in the butter, vanilla, and praline paste until smooth.
For the silkiest texture, pass the pastry cream through a fine-mesh sieve into a bowl. Press plastic wrap directly onto the surface and chill until cold, at least 1 1/2 hours.
7. Lighten the Filling
Whip the cold heavy cream to medium peaks. It should hold shape but still look smooth, not chunky or stiff.
Whisk the chilled praline pastry cream until smooth. If it feels firm at first, keep whisking. It will loosen.
Fold the whipped cream into the praline pastry cream in two additions. Use gentle strokes so the filling stays airy. The finished cream should be smooth, fluffy, and pipeable.
8. Assemble the Paris-Brest
Use a serrated knife to carefully slice the cooled choux ring in half horizontally. Lift off the top and set it aside.
Transfer the praline cream to a piping bag fitted with a large star tip. Pipe generous swirls or loops of cream around the bottom half of the ring.
Place the top half back on gently. Dust with powdered sugar just before serving.
Slice with a serrated knife and serve proudly. You made a pastry wheel filled with praline clouds. That deserves a little applause.
Variations
- Hazelnut praline Paris-Brest: Use hazelnut praline paste for the most classic nutty flavor.
- Almond praline version: Use almond praline paste for a slightly sweeter, marzipan-like note.
- Chocolate drizzle: Drizzle melted dark chocolate over the finished pastry before dusting with powdered sugar.
- Mini Paris-Brest: Pipe 3-inch rings and reduce the baking time. Start checking after 20 to 25 minutes total.
- Fruit accent: Add a few fresh raspberries inside with the cream. Keep it light so the praline stays the star.
Serving Suggestions
- Serve with strong coffee or espresso for a classic pastry-shop moment.
- Pair with black tea or hojicha for a cozy afternoon dessert.
- Add it to a brunch table when you want something impressive but not overly sweet.
- Make it for birthdays, holidays, or dinner parties.
- Slice into small wedges for a sweet finish after a rich meal.
Recipe Card
Paris-Brest: Choux Ring with Praline Cream
Servings: 8
Ingredients
Choux Ring
- 1/2 cup (120 ml) water
- 1/2 cup (120 ml) whole milk
- 1/2 cup (113 g) unsalted butter, cubed
- 1 tablespoon granulated sugar
- 1/2 teaspoon fine salt
- 1 cup (125 g) all-purpose flour
- 4 large eggs, room temperature
Praline Cream Filling
- 2 cups (480 ml) whole milk
- 1/2 cup (100 g) granulated sugar, divided
- 4 large egg yolks
- 3 tablespoons cornstarch
- Pinch fine salt
- 2 tablespoons (28 g) unsalted butter
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1/2 cup (150 g) praline paste
- 1 cup (240 ml) cold heavy cream
Topping
- 1 egg, beaten
- 1/2 cup (45 g) sliced almonds
- Powdered sugar, for dusting
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 400°F (200°C). Line a baking sheet with parchment and trace an 8-inch circle on the underside.
- In a saucepan, bring water, milk, butter, sugar, and salt to a boil.
- Add flour all at once. Stir and cook for 2 to 3 minutes, until dough pulls from the sides and a film forms on the pan.
- Cool dough for 5 minutes. Add eggs one at a time until glossy and thick. Dough should fall in a V shape from the spoon.
- Pipe two rings side by side on the guide, then one ring on top.
- Brush lightly with beaten egg and sprinkle with sliced almonds.
- Bake 15 minutes at 400°F. Reduce to 350°F (175°C) and bake 30 to 35 minutes more.
- Poke small vents in the pastry. Let dry in the turned-off oven with the door cracked for 15 minutes. Cool completely.
- For the filling, heat milk with half the sugar. Whisk yolks, remaining sugar, cornstarch, and salt.
- Temper yolks with hot milk, then return to saucepan. Cook, whisking, until thick and bubbling. Cook 1 minute more.
- Whisk in butter, vanilla, and praline paste. Strain, cover, and chill until cold.
- Whip heavy cream to medium peaks. Whisk chilled praline cream smooth, then fold in whipped cream.
- Slice choux ring horizontally. Pipe praline cream on the bottom half. Add the top and dust with powdered sugar.
Paris-Brest may look like a pastry-case superstar, but it is really a series of small, friendly steps. Cook the dough, trust the visual cues, give the choux enough time to dry, and fill it with that dreamy praline cream. You’ve got this. If you make it, share your pastry wheel moment or leave a comment with how it went. I’ll be cheering from the flour-dusted corner of the kitchen.
