Homemade Classic Paris-Brest with Praline – Crisp Choux, Silky Praline Cream

The Paris-Brest is a show-stopping French dessert: a light, crisp ring of choux pastry filled with ultra-silky praline mousseline cream and dusted with powdered sugar. It looks bakery-level but is completely doable at home once you know the steps: make pâte à choux, bake it until hollow and dry, whip up a praline pastry-cream-plus-butter filling, then pipe and assemble.

You’ll get a crisp shell (not soggy), a stable, pipeable praline cream, and those classic toasted almond edges.

Why You’ll Love This Paris-Brest

Authentic texture: Hollow, crisp choux with a glossy interior and tender bite.
Dreamy praline cream: Pastry cream + butter + praline paste = silky, nutty, rich.
Make-ahead friendly: Components can be prepped; assemble before serving.
Elegant but practical: One large ring is easy to bake and slice for guests.

Ingredients

Choux pastry (pâte à choux)

120 ml water
120 ml whole milk
100 g unsalted butter, cubed
5 g (½ tsp) fine salt
5 g (2 tsp) sugar
140 g all-purpose flour, sifted
4–5 large eggs (about 220–270 g without shells), room temp

To finish the ring

1 egg, beaten (egg wash)
30–40 g sliced almonds
Powdered sugar, for dusting

Praline mousseline cream

500 ml whole milk
120 g granulated sugar (divided)
40 g cornstarch
4 large egg yolks
1 tsp vanilla extract (or ½ tsp vanilla paste)
200 g unsalted butter, room temp, cut in cubes (divide into 2 × 100 g)
180–220 g praline paste (hazelnut-almond), to taste
Tip: good ratio is 50/50 hazelnut & almond praline for classic flavor.

How to Make Paris-Brest

1) Make a guide ring (optional but helpful)

Draw a 20–22 cm (8–9 in) circle on parchment. Flip parchment over on a tray so the ink/graphite is underneath.

2) Cook the panade

In a medium saucepan, bring water, milk, butter, salt, and sugar to a full simmer. Remove from heat, dump in the flour at once, and stir hard with a wooden spoon.

Return to medium heat and cook 1–2 minutes, stirring, until the dough pulls away from the sides and leaves a thin film on the pan. This is your panade.

3) Beat in the eggs

Scrape panade into a mixer bowl (or a large bowl). Let cool 2–3 minutes.

Beat in eggs one at a time, mixing thoroughly before the next. You may not need the last egg. The dough should be smooth, shiny, and form a “V” that slowly falls from the spatula. If too stiff, add a little beaten egg.

Transfer to a piping bag fitted with a large plain or star tip (Ateco 826–828).

4) Pipe the ring

Pipe one ring following the guide. Pipe a second ring just inside, touching the first. Pipe a third ring on top, straddling the seam of the two rings. This gives height and structure.

Brush lightly with egg wash (don’t drip down the sides). Sprinkle sliced almonds over the top.

5) Bake until hollow and dry

Preheat oven to 220°C / 425°F.
Bake 10 minutes, then reduce to 175°C / 350°F and continue 25–30 minutes, until deeply golden and puffed.
Turn oven to 160°C / 320°F, poke 3–4 small holes around the side or base with a skewer to vent steam, and bake 5–10 minutes more to dry the interior.

Cool completely on a rack. (Crisp shell = no soggy Paris-Brest.)

6) Make praline mousseline cream

Pastry cream base: Heat milk with half the sugar to steaming.
In a bowl, whisk yolks, remaining sugar, and cornstarch until smooth.
Temper with a splash of hot milk, then return to saucepan, whisking constantly until thick and bubbling. Cook 1 minute after the first bubbles to cook the starch.
Off heat, whisk in 100 g butter and vanilla. Spread into a shallow dish, press plastic wrap onto the surface, and chill until cool.
Finish mousseline: Beat the cooled pastry cream to loosen. In a mixer, cream the remaining 100 g butter until pale and fluffy (2–3 minutes). With mixer on medium, add the pastry cream a spoonful at a time until silky. Beat in praline paste to taste (start with 180 g; add more for stronger flavor).
Transfer to a piping bag with a large star tip.

Note: Mousseline should be cool and pipeable. If too soft, chill 10–15 minutes; if too firm, let sit briefly at room temp.

7) Fill and assemble

Using a serrated knife, slice the choux ring horizontally. Brush away any soft interior bits if needed to keep it crisp.

Pipe generous rosettes of praline mousseline around the base, filling the ring completely. Cap with the top ring, dust with powdered sugar.

8) Serve

Chill 30–60 minutes to set the cream, then slice with a sharp serrated knife. Best served the day it’s assembled.

Serving Suggestions

Add a few caramelized hazelnuts/almonds on top for crunch.
Serve with espresso or strong tea to balance the richness.
For a celebration, dot with gold leaf or chocolate shards.

Cook’s Tips

Dry the choux well: The final low-temp dry prevents collapse and sogginess.
Egg control: Add eggs gradually; the right consistency is key to good rise.
Stable cream: Cool pastry cream fully before beating in butter; warm cream melts butter and loosens structure.
Crisp assembly: Fill close to serving time; refrigeration softens choux over hours.

Variations & Add-Ins

Mini Paris-Brest: Pipe small rings (6–7 cm) and bake ~20–25 min at 190°C/375°F, then dry 5 min at 160°C/320°F.
Chocolate praline: Whisk 60–80 g melted dark chocolate into the mousseline with the praline paste.
Craquelin top: Add a thin disk of brown-sugar butter crumble for a crackly crown before baking.

Storage & FAQ

Storage: Refrigerate leftovers airtight up to 2 days. Best texture day 1.
Freeze? Freeze choux shells (unfilled) up to 1 month; re-crisp at 160°C/320°F for 5–8 min. Do not freeze the filled dessert.
My choux collapsed. Why? Under-baked or not dried; next time bake darker and vent/dry.
Cream too loose? Cream was warm or butter too soft; chill and rewhip briefly.

This classic Paris-Brest delivers everything you want from a French pastry: a crisp, airy shell and a luscious, nutty praline cream that slices clean and tastes luxurious. Master the choux and mousseline once, and you’ll have a signature dessert that impresses every time.