Saturday, February 1, 2014

French Fridays with Dorie - Paris-Brest


Today´s recipe for the French Fridays with Dorie group is the famous French dessert pastry “Paris-Brest”.




The Paris-Brest is a circular-shaped French confection, made of choux pastry, filled with a cream filling, and garnished with almonds. In 1910, the pastry was invented by Louis Durand, a pâtissier who had founded his own bakery in 1907. Louis Durand was inspired by the bicycle race Paris-Brest-Paris that took place for the first time in 1891. To this day, the “Pâtisserie Durand” in Maisons-Laffitte (in the Île-de-France region in north-central France) still exists and is still operated by members of the family Durand. The original recipe for the Paris-Brest is still guarded as a family secret - Louis Durand is the pâtissier pictured above.




Pierre Giffard (May 1, 1853 – January 21, 1922) was a French journalist. He created the 1,200 kilometer bicycle race in 1891 when he organized the Paris–Brest–Paris event for his newspaper  called “Le Petit Journal”. The race took place for the first time on September 6, 1891 and from then until today, it was promoted as “Paris–Brest”. It is now established as the oldest long-distance cycling road event. Le Petit Journal described it as an "épreuve", a test of the bicycle's reliability and the rider's endurance. Riders were fully self-sufficient, carrying their own food and clothing and riding the same bicycle for the duration. Participation was restricted to Frenchmen and 99 of the 207 participants finished the first race. Charles Terront was the winner of the first race in 1891, he won in 71 hours and 22 minutes - he is the cyclist on the cover of "Le Petit Journal" pictured above.




So, onto the recipe. First you start by making a basic choux pastry like you would for cream puffs. You will need whole milk, water, unsalted butter, a bit of sugar, salt, flour and eggs. The dough has to be cooked (or as we say "burnt")  before it can be baked. To get the circular shape, you will need to draw the outline of a circle on parchment paper and pipe three rings along the outline. One outside ring, one inside and the third one on top of the two bottom rings. Now it is time to bake.




Literally translated we call cream puffs “little wind bags” ("Windbeutel") because of all the air bubbles in the finished pastry – the French call them “little cabbages” ("choux") because of their shape. Although I used to make cream puffs on a regular basis, I had not prepared them in a while but I remembered a trick that I learned from one of my favorite bakers. Make sure to place a bowl of steaming hot water at the bottom of the oven, to create some steam – that way the pastry rises better. And never, ever open the door of the oven before the pastry is fully baked, otherwise it will deflate, just like a flat tire on a bicycle.




Be that as it may, the cake baked up nicely, I split it in half, and after it had cooled completely, I decided to fill it with lovely softly whipped cream because my taste testers prefer that to vanilla pastry cream.




I decided to drizzle the caramelized, slithered almonds on top of the pastry while they were still soft. The sweet almonds are nice as a topping on this pastry as the cake itself is not very sweet and since I did not add much sugar to the whipped cream either.

Overall a very big success, no Paris-Brest left. I will definitely keep this recipe in mind for future invitations. It looks a bit intimidating at first but it in fact it is rather easy to prepare if you follow Dorie´s wonderful recipe.




To see how much the other members of the French Fridays with Dorie group enjoyed today´s recipe, please click here.

If you happen to own Dorie Greenspan´s book “Around my French Table”, you will find the recipe for “Paris-Brest” on pages 475-6.


60 comments:

  1. Andrea, we are so, so happy to have you feeling better and back with us. We missed you!

    Your portrayal of the Paris Brest is beautiful (as always) and I liked your comparison of the flat pastry to a deflated tire :-)

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    1. My dear Cher, so very kind of you - thank you! As far as the deflated tire is concerned - I do have some experinece with my puff pastry rising so nicely only to deflate when taken out of the oven...lucky and a tad more experienced this time.

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  2. Andrea, I can only echo what Cher just wrote! We really did miss you, and are overjoyed to have you back! And now here you are baking again for French Fridays.
    Your Paris Brest is stunning and so are your gorgeous photos! Thanks for the tip about the bowl of steaming water. Have a wonderful weekend and take good care of yourself!

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    1. Kathy, thank you so much - although I was running a day late, I was quite happy to be participating in FFwD again. Cooking and baking still takes a bit longer but I did not want to miss any more posts, besides I really wanted to bake a Paris-Brest. Trying not to overdo it though, one post at a time.

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  3. Yay you're back in the kitchen :) Your Paris-Brest is gorgeous - well done!

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    1. Merci beaucoup, dear MardI Nice to be back and I am glad that my still somewhat shaky hands did not make a mess of this French pastry project.

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  4. Andrea, I am so happy you are back with us this Friday. I have really missed you. Your pastry is just gorgeous. No wonder there wasn't any left. I will try your tip about the steaming water in the oven next time I make pate a choux. Happy February to you. Take care.

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    1. Betsy, many, many thanks for your kind comment! The steaming water trick in addition to leaving the oven door closed has always worked for me. Iearned that many years ago. I am so happy to be participating in FFwD again - it feels terrific!

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  5. C'est fantastique! My, but wonderful work, and what a lovely and informative article. Well done!

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    1. Grazie mille, cara Adri! So appreciate your wonderful feedback and thanks also for the link on FB! I hope I didi not get carried away with respect to my research on the Paris-Brest. It is so much fun reading up on the history of certain dishes.

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  6. I love my choux filled with cream too! This is gorgeous, Andrea! Well done, it looks fabulous and bet it tasted even better! I love choux pastry and everything that is made with it. Then cream soaks into the pastry and it's just so good!

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    1. Dear Nazneen, absolutely - once in a while a nice treat like this is wonderful. We love whipped cream with our puff pastry but I will give different filling a try next time I bake this. Thank you for the nice commeent!

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  7. Andrea, your Paris-Brest as absolutely stunning! I have always wanted to make this dessert.

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    1. Dear Cathleen, you should give it a try. It is one of those recipes that looks difficult but reallly it is not. As long as one follows the recipe, the Paris-Brest will bake up beautifully and taste wonderful.

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  8. I love all the information about the bike race, very informative. The results of your cake are lovely, and the whipped cream looks
    very nice in there. I am so happy your are feeling better and are able to enjoy doing the things you love, like baking again. Have
    a wonderful weekend.

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    1. Dear Nana, what a kind comment, thank you so much! It does feel good to be participating in FFwD again - hopefully I will be able to make up some of the recipes that I have missed in the past - for now, I will concentrate on participating in future posts. Hopefully my post is not too history-laden but I did have fun putting it together.

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  9. Andrea, are you feeling all the love coming from America. We all were so worried and are so pleased knowing that you are back in the kitchen. Now, always the mother, are you doing too much? Your Paris-Brest is fabulous looking and I loved knowing all the behind-the-scenes info. I always enjoy reading the extra info you provide. And, the steam idea. Thank you. I was saving this pastry dessert for when I return to Aspen this spring - I have no one to share this with here in Cambria - butttttt, after reading everyone's posts, I just have to try this. So, using everyone's hints and suggestions, I am going to attempt to make this next week. Keep getting better, Andrea. You are special. Hugs to the girls.

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    1. Dear Mary, I cannot begin to tell you how much love I felt coming my way all the way from America, honestly, I was and continue to be quite speechless! And a few days ago, I would not have thought it possible to be baking and cooking and writing again so soon. But apparently, these activities are exactly the activities that me me the happiest and help me recover - but I do make sure to prepare easy lunches and dinners for the family and to take it easy in the kitchen and to get lots and lots of rest. No reason to overdo things right now - besides I promised to everyone to take life in stride, and I will.
      Your kind comments and concerned messages mean the world to me and the girls are sending you tons of hugs from afar!

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  10. Hi Andrea, I feel I could practically stick a fork in those photos and tuck in to one of my all-time-favourite pastries. Delicious. Right, I am just off to make your Jan Hagel cookies to take to a friend (I know your recipe makes about 18, but by the time they get to her, there'll only be 12 left :)

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    1. Hester, I certainly hope that the Jan Hagel cookies turned out to be delicious! But since I know that you are a wonderful cook as well as a baker, I am sure they were quite the treat! Thank you so much for your lovely comment!

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  11. Perfection on a plate! You're back in your groove!!! xoxo

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    1. Liz, so very kind of you, thank you! Trying my best to keep up with FFwD - I might even try another TwD post on Tuesday!

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  12. Wow, beautifull sweet bites...
    mine won't puffed as beauty as yours!!!

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  13. So good to see you back, Andrea! Your Paris-Brest is absolutely beautiful! I love pastry cream, but the idea of filling this with whipped cream sounds just as good. And it looks so light and airy! Wonderful!

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    1. Sara, the kids voted for whipped cream, I guess we are used to eating puff pastry with softly whipped cream around here. Besides, it was quick and easy as a filling, just perfect for our Saturday afternoon and for my still rather slow self. Thank you for the nice comment!

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  14. Welcome back! So happy to have you back baking away with us. Your dessert looks delicious this week and I may try that steam trick next time and see if I can get a bit more rise out of mine.

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    1. Rose, how kind of you! Thank you! The steam trick seems to work well but I cannot compare baking with steam to baking without steam as I have made a habit of always adding a cup with steaming water to my oven while baking puff pastry! It seemed to have worked for this wonderful French pastry.

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  15. Wow, Andrea! Your pastry looks like it came from a Parisian bakery! So glad you're feeling better!

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    1. Dear Susan, thank you so much for stopping by and thanks also for the wonderful and kind comment and well-wishes!

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  16. My mouth is watering just looking at the pictures.

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    1. Mon cher Nicolas, merci mille fois pour ton très gentil commentaire! J´apprécie beaucoup!

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  17. Delectable.

    So happy to have you back, Dearest. Xx

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    1. Kim, so very kind of you! I am certainly happy to be back - it felt like such a long absence from the blogging world and I started to feel like something very important was missing from my life!

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  18. So glad you are back! This is a gorgeous and educational [post - love the historical photos.

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    1. Christy, thank you very much - hope I did not overdo it with respec to thehistorical background.

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  19. Oh my, this looks divine. A lot of work, but definitely divine! The pictures look good enough to eat.

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    1. Beth, not so much work - it just looks that way. It is actually rather quick to put together, al least compared to a lot of other desserts that I have prepared/baked in the past! Thank you for the nice comment!

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  20. I am so glad you are back cooking with us! I cannot stress enough how much I like reading your posts and viewing your photographs. Please take care of your self I know it might sound selfish on my side but we need you to be healthy and strong and give such beautiful content! xoxo

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    1. Maria, thank you so much for welcoming me back and for the very kind comment - I missed FFwD - it is a bit like creative therapy from everyday life.

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  21. Beautiful post, Andrea! It is hard to believe that I have not yet made pâté de choux yet! Don't you think it is about time? I really love the way you added the almonds to the top - I can just feel the crunch on my first bite! I also love your use of the antique photos and poster, and the little "Tours Eiffels" are so cute! Have a great week - I hope all your little helpers (and Thomas, naturlich) are giving you an extra hand these days! ~ David

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    1. David, oh, yes, you should try puff pastry - it is not only fun to make and does not requie a lot of ingredients but you can pipe the dough into different shapes and sizes - I wanted to prepare small Paris-Brests at first but after my personal history lesson on the Paris-Brest bicycle race, I decided to go with the recipe and make one big round one - and I am glad I did, it looked rather nice all filled with whipped cream and with those almonds on top. I have a deal with my lttle helpers - they help and in return they get fed...
      Vielen Dank für deinen Kommentar und liebe Grüße,
      Andrea

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  22. What a nice post about a delicious sounding dessert. My husband doesn't really care for sweets but I think he would enjoy your wonderful creme filled pastry. :)

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    1. Karen, we do enjoy eating sweets in this house - so I am never at a loss for very eager taste testers. We all did enjoy this French pastry and I had fun preparing it! Thank you for the kind comment!

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  23. Andrea, I'm so glad you are here with us. We missed you terribly! This Paris brest is gorgeous! We tried our very first in Paris two years ago. I have a picture of me and Ryan holding it while we sat in a lovely park. What great memories! Thank you for sharing...and for bringing me back to that special time.

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    1. Monet, it is great to be back - so glad that you enjoyed this post so much and that it brought back some wonderful memories for you!

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  24. Paris Brest looks fabulous and a wonderful post about it!

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    1. Paris-Brest does look nice and it tastes even better - so this was not our every day kind of dessert and we loved it! Thanks for the kind comment!

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  25. What an elegant dessert Andrea...and to imagine that the cake is made the same way as for the cream puff...I must give this a try...I love the almonds on top...I like the idea of not too sweet.
    Have a wonderful week my dear :D

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    1. Juliana, it is indeed a simple, basic puff pastry dough, nothing more, nothing less - it rose nicely while baking and the caramelized almonds on top did not overpower the cake with sweetness - all in all an absolutely wonderful recipe form Dorie Greenspan.

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  26. Miss you much! Glad you are on your feet again. Lovely post! pictures! contents! and pastry!!

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    1. Emily, thank you kindly - so glad that you enjoyed this post and yes, it is good to be able to participate in FFwD again.

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  27. Wow this looks absolutely fabulous Andrea!! So fluffy and creamy :) French patisserie is just simply the best!! Sweet, elegant and perfect for a treat on a greay february afternoon :)
    xox Amy

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    1. Dear Amy, this was indeed quite the treat for a weekday and all of us seem to agree that this lovely French pastry shall grace our table many more times in the future - I will go for the Vanilla Pastry next time I bake this!
      Merci vielmals und liebe Grüße!

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  28. Oh là là :-) Die Geschichte mit den schoenen alten Fotos rundet den Paris-Brest Ring noch mehr ab... dabei ist der selbige schon so perfekt mit seiner Mandelkruste. Danke fuer diesen Post, Andrea, und einen ganz lieben Gruss.

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    1. Liebe Wally, herzlichen Dank - was für ein Dessert, trotz noch wackeliger Hand geschafft und zum Glück dann am Ende auch ein Stück genossen.
      Ganz liebe Grüße aus Bonn - die Sonne scheint heute und ich habe eben die ersten Schneeglöckchen entdeckt!
      Andrea

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  29. Beautiful job. It looks delicious. Love the Eiffel Tower key rings and the vintage bike race pictures. Thanks for sharing.

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    1. Geraldine, glad that you enjoyed my little trip back in time. Although the Paris-Brest is quite the showstopper all by its little self, I always believe that a bit of history can never hurt!

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  30. How in the world did I miss this post?
    Andrea, it's simply gorgeous. Just perfect. Wish I were there
    to enjoy a slice with you over some coffee and chit-chat! xo

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    1. Colette, now that would be fun...a nice slice of homemade Paris-Brest, a steaming cup of good, strong coffee and a wonderful, long chat with you...who could ask for more?!

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