"This pastry was created in 1910 by Louis Durand, pâtissier of Maisons-Laffitte, at the request of Pierre Giffard, to commemorate the Paris–Brest–Paris bicycle race he had initiated in 1891. Its circular shape is representative of a wheel. It became popular with riders on the Paris–Brest cycle race, partly because of its energising high calorific value, and is now found in pâtisseries all over France."
I had a go at making this. Quite a project! I've included photos of the process for anyone interested. It's a choux pastry coated with sliced almonds and a hazelnut praline mousseline filling.
To begin the praline paste process, I roasted hazelnuts to remove the bitter skins. I also blanched some and blanched some almonds and roasted them. I then caramelised sugar with water and threw the nuts in to coat them.
I let them set into a hard nut brittle, broke it all up and threw it all into the food processor. I kind of damaged the blades a bit because of the hard caramel. It eventually turned into a praline paste with the aid of a teaspoon of oil.
So then I made a pastry cream the same way as I made my fruit tartlets, let it cool overnight, then put it into the mixer, added butter, whipped it up and added some of the praline paste. This became a very soft and delicious hazelnut mousseline.
I then made the choux pastry. I think i just about got the right consistency before piping. I drew 3.5" circles onto baking paper and piped inside them. I liberally sprinkled sliced almonds on top. I baked at 350c for 20 minutes and then turned it down to 325c for another 30 minutes. They came out really nice, but I think would have been fine with 10 minutes less baking. They're light as air! After cooling, I sliced them in two, piped the cream into them, put the tops on, and dusted with icing sugar.
Fortunately I've got lots of the praline paste left to make more of these amazing pastries!
Blanched almonds before roasting them.
Roasted almonds and hazelnuts
Beginning of caramelising the sugar in my new saucepan.
Nuts have been coated and poured onto sheet to cool.
Set hard.
Into the processor to blitz.
This is how the praline paste turned out. I actually made two lots, darker one is just hazelnuts and the lighter one is almonds and hazelnuts. In the end, I decided to mix the two together. The darker one was particularly delicious, that distinctive praline taste that you get in chocolates. The lighter one was very sweet and less distinctive but together was a nice balance.
Choux pastry ready to pipe.
Praline about to be whipped with the mousseline.
And the final pastries!
I had a go at making this. Quite a project! I've included photos of the process for anyone interested. It's a choux pastry coated with sliced almonds and a hazelnut praline mousseline filling.
To begin the praline paste process, I roasted hazelnuts to remove the bitter skins. I also blanched some and blanched some almonds and roasted them. I then caramelised sugar with water and threw the nuts in to coat them.
I let them set into a hard nut brittle, broke it all up and threw it all into the food processor. I kind of damaged the blades a bit because of the hard caramel. It eventually turned into a praline paste with the aid of a teaspoon of oil.
So then I made a pastry cream the same way as I made my fruit tartlets, let it cool overnight, then put it into the mixer, added butter, whipped it up and added some of the praline paste. This became a very soft and delicious hazelnut mousseline.
I then made the choux pastry. I think i just about got the right consistency before piping. I drew 3.5" circles onto baking paper and piped inside them. I liberally sprinkled sliced almonds on top. I baked at 350c for 20 minutes and then turned it down to 325c for another 30 minutes. They came out really nice, but I think would have been fine with 10 minutes less baking. They're light as air! After cooling, I sliced them in two, piped the cream into them, put the tops on, and dusted with icing sugar.
Fortunately I've got lots of the praline paste left to make more of these amazing pastries!
Blanched almonds before roasting them.
Roasted almonds and hazelnuts
Beginning of caramelising the sugar in my new saucepan.
Nuts have been coated and poured onto sheet to cool.
Set hard.
Into the processor to blitz.
This is how the praline paste turned out. I actually made two lots, darker one is just hazelnuts and the lighter one is almonds and hazelnuts. In the end, I decided to mix the two together. The darker one was particularly delicious, that distinctive praline taste that you get in chocolates. The lighter one was very sweet and less distinctive but together was a nice balance.
Choux pastry ready to pipe.
Praline about to be whipped with the mousseline.
And the final pastries!
