Created by pastry chef Louis Durand at his shop in Maisons-Laffitte in 1910, at the request of race organiser Pierre Giffard, to celebrate the annual Paris–Brest–Paris bicycle race. The creation that followed became one of the most iconic preparations in the French pastry canon and remains on the menus of classically oriented patisseries worldwide.
A ring of choux pastry (Entry 18) piped into a circle, baked until hollow and dry, split horizontally, and filled with a praline-flavoured pastry cream or mousseline — the classical preparation created in 1910 to celebrate the Paris–Brest bicycle race. The wheel shape represents the bicycle wheel; the praline cream represents... indulgence. Paris-Brest is one of the most celebrated of all classical French pastry preparations because it combines the extraordinary texture of correctly made choux (crisp shell, hollow interior) with the deep, hazelnut-caramel flavour of praline in a preparation whose visual impact is considerable.
Praline's flavour is among the most complex in the pastry kitchen — it is Maillard caramelisation (from the sugar) combined with the aromatic compounds of toasted nuts (pyrazines from roasted hazelnut — the same compound family as roasted coffee). As Segnit notes, hazelnut and chocolate is the most commercially successful flavour combination in confectionery (Nutella, Ferrero Rocher) because both carry the same roasted-Maillard aromatic register — but in Paris-Brest, the praline operates without chocolate, allowing the hazelnut's native complexity to dominate.
**Ingredient precision:** - Choux pastry: standard recipe (Entry 18) with an additional egg for a slightly richer, more stable shell. - Piping: two concentric rings of approximately 8cm outer diameter each, piped side by side with a 1.5cm plain tip. A third ring piped on top of the joint between the two rings creates the Paris-Brest's characteristic rounded profile. - Almonds: flaked almonds scattered over the piped rings before baking — they bake into the choux shell and add crunch to the exterior. - Praline cream (crème mousseline pralinée): crème pâtissière (Entry 24) with praline paste (hazelnuts and almonds caramelised and ground to a smooth paste) incorporated warm into the finished cream, then lightened by beating with softened butter until the mixture is light, fluffy, and intensely flavoured. **Praline paste:** 1. Caramelise 200g mixed hazelnuts and almonds with 200g sugar (dry method, Entry 21) to a deep amber. 2. Pour onto an oiled baking sheet. Cool completely. 3. Grind in a food processor to a smooth, oily paste. This takes 3–5 minutes; the nuts release their oils and the mixture moves from crumble to paste. **Assembly:** 1. Bake the choux ring at 200°C for 15 minutes, then 170°C for a further 20 minutes. The double-temperature bake: high heat initiates the puff; lower heat dries the interior without burning the shell. 2. Cool completely. Slice in half horizontally with a serrated knife. 3. Pipe the praline mousseline in generous rosettes or stars inside the base ring. 4. Replace the top ring. Dust with icing sugar. Decisive moment: The baking temperature reduction after the first 15 minutes. Paris-Brest is a large, substantial choux ring that requires prolonged interior drying. If it remains at 200°C throughout: the exterior browns and begins to burn before the interior structure is fully dry, and the ring collapses when sliced. The temperature reduction to 170°C allows the interior to continue drying from steam conversion without additional surface browning. Tapping the underside at the end of the bake: hollow = done. Sensory tests: **Sound — the hollow test:** Identical to individual choux (Entry 18): tap the underside of the baked ring. A clear, hollow resonance. Any dullness = moisture remains inside = collapse on slicing. **Sight — the praline paste:** The correctly made praline paste is a deep amber-brown, smooth, and oily — the consistency of tahini or nut butter, flowing freely from a spoon. Any graininess means the nuts were not processed long enough; any paleness means the caramel was taken to insufficient colour. **Taste — the praline mousseline:** The finished cream should be simultaneously intensely nutty (from the praline), slightly bitter (from the caramelisation), and rich (from the butter and egg in the mousseline base). None of these three notes should dominate. Cool in temperature (from refrigeration) but not cold — the butter in the mousseline firms at refrigerator temperature; service at 14–16°C for the correct texture.
- Praline paste keeps refrigerated for 3 months — make in quantity and use for ice cream, buttercreams, soufflés, and this preparation - For a modern version: replace the mousseline with a praline diplomat cream (crème légère with praline folded in) — lighter texture, same flavour - The Paris-Brest individual (minis, approximately 7cm diameter) has become the preferred restaurant version — the portion control is precise and the ratio of crust to cream is higher, which most professionals prefer
— **Ring collapses when split:** Insufficient interior drying. The moisture inside the choux ring prevented the protein structure from setting fully. The second-phase lower temperature bake is the technique that prevents this. — **Praline mousseline splits and looks curdled:** The pastry cream base and the softened butter were at different temperatures when combined — one cold, one warm. Both must be at room temperature before beating. — **Praline paste is grainy and sandy rather than smooth:** The nuts were not processed long enough after the caramel was ground. Continue in the food processor for 5 full minutes — the oils must be fully released.
Jacques Pépin's Complete Techniques