Paris-Brest with Strawberries
Paris Brest is the name of a French cycle race and these adorable choux pastries are so named because they are shaped in the shape of a wheel.
I filled these with whipped cream, and fresh strawberries for light summer dessert. They can also be filled with custard and any fresh fruits.
The key to the choux pastry is to get the correct quantity of egg. This recipe calls for 3 eggs but I didn’t use the full quantity, and if you use Jumbo eggs 2 should be enough.
If you do not have enough egg your puffs won’t puff up and if you have too much egg the mixture will fall flat when you pipe it. The perfect quantity of egg is to have a glossy mixture that keeps it shape but drops off the spoon in a ribbon.
Have a look at the TikTok video below to see the perfect consistency.
Paris-Brest with strawberries
Ingredients
Pate a Choux
- ½ cup water
- 60 g butter
- ½ cup flour
- 3 eggs
- 50 g flaked almonds optional
Filling
- ½ cup cream whipped
- 8 strawberries
- icing sugar for dusting
Instructions
Choux pastry
- Place the water and butter in a pot and bring to the boil.
- Once boiling remove from the heat and add the flour (all at once). Stir well until the dough comes away from the sides of the pot.
- Place the pot back on the heat and cook for about 5 minutes.
- Set aside to cool for a few minutes.
- Beat the 3 eggs lightly with a fork.
- Using a wooden spoon beat in the egg a little at a time. You may not use the full quantity of egg. Stop adding egg when the mixture is glossy and runs from the spoon, but still keeps its shape.
- Prepare a baking tray with baking paper or a non-stick mat. Trace on 10cm circles as a guide. Preheat the oven to 200°C.
- Pipe the shape of the wheel using the guideline. Sprinkle the top of the wheel with flaked almonds. Lightly splash the tray with water and bake for about 20 minutes.
- The choux should be well puffed and golden brown. Pierce the wheel with a knife in a few places for the steam to escape and return to the oven for a further 7-10 minutes to crisp the shell. Turn down the oven temperature to 160°C for this step
- Remove from the oven and set aside to cool
Finish off
- Slice the wheels in half to fill. Pipe in whipped cream and garnish with sliced strawberries.
- Dust the top of the wheels with icing sugar.