Mini choux with praline vanilla cream

The culinary journey we will embark on together will take you into a universe of refined flavors and textures, where choux pastry transforms into an elegant dessert: Paris Brest. This French delicacy, with deep roots in pastry tradition, pays homage to a bicycle race that took place between Paris and Brest, originally created to celebrate this adventure. Today, I will present you with a modern twist on this classic dessert. Let's get started!

Preparation time: 1 hour
Baking time: 20 minutes
Total time: 1 hour and 20 minutes
Servings: 8-10 people (approximately 40 choux)

Ingredients

For the choux pastry:
- 250 ml water
- 1 tablespoon sugar
- A pinch of salt
- 100 g butter
- 150 g flour
- 4 eggs

For the praline mousseline cream:
- 500 ml milk
- 4 egg yolks
- 150 g sugar
- 40 g cornstarch
- 200 g butter
- 150 g pralines (made from 100 g sugar and 100 g almonds/hazelnuts)

For decoration:
- Powdered sugar

For the craquelin:
- 30 g soft butter
- 40 g cane sugar
- 40 g flour

Preparation Steps

Step 1: Preparing the praline
Pralines are an essential ingredient in our recipe. They are a delicious product made from almonds and hazelnuts coated with caramelized sugar. Here’s how to prepare them:
1. In a double-bottomed saucepan, place 100 g of sugar to caramelize.
2. When the sugar turns golden, add 100 g of almonds and hazelnuts.
3. Mix well to coat the nuts with caramel.
4. Pour the mixture onto a work surface and let it cool.
5. Once cooled, blend until you achieve a smooth paste.

If you prefer, you can use 65% praline chocolate, which melts easily in a bain-marie.

Step 2: Preparing the mousseline cream
1. In a saucepan, bring 500 ml of milk to a boil.
2. In a bowl, whisk 4 egg yolks with 150 g of sugar until you get a white foam. Add 40 g of cornstarch and mix well.
3. Pour the hot milk over the egg mixture, continuously whisking.
4. Place the mixture over low heat, stirring constantly until the cream thickens.
5. Remove from heat and add the praline and half of the butter (100 g). Mix until smooth.
6. Pour the cream into a flat dish, cover it with plastic wrap, and let it cool, then refrigerate.

Step 3: Preparing the craquelin
1. Mix 30 g of soft butter with 40 g of cane sugar and 40 g of flour until you get a smooth mixture.
2. Roll the dough between two sheets of parchment paper into a thin layer of 2-3 mm. Place it in the refrigerator to harden.

Step 4: Preparing the choux pastry
1. Preheat the oven to 160°C.
2. In a saucepan, combine 250 ml of water, 1 tablespoon of sugar, and a pinch of salt. Add 100 g of diced butter.
3. Bring to a boil, stirring constantly. When the butter is completely melted, remove the saucepan from heat.
4. Add 150 g of flour all at once, stirring vigorously with a wooden spoon until you achieve a smooth paste.
5. Place the saucepan over low heat and continue stirring until the dough pulls away from the sides of the pan.
6. Let the dough cool for a few minutes, then gradually add the eggs, mixing well after each addition.

Step 5: Shaping and baking the choux
1. Line a baking tray with silicone or parchment paper.
2. Using a piping bag or a cut plastic bag, shape the choux on the tray, leaving space between them.
3. Remove the craquelin from the refrigerator and cut circles that match the size of the choux, placing one circle on each.
4. Bake the choux for 20 minutes until golden and fluffy. Let them cool completely.

Step 6: Filling and serving
1. Remove the mousseline cream from the refrigerator and add the remaining butter (100 g). Mix well.
2. Cut the choux in half and fill them with the praline cream.
3. Decorate with powdered sugar and let them chill for 2-3 hours before serving.

Useful tips
- Make sure the choux pastry is well mixed to achieve an even texture.
- If the cream becomes too soft due to the butter, you can skip adding it in the last step.
- This dessert pairs wonderfully with flavored coffee or English tea.

Possible variations
- You can add flavors like vanilla or almond extract to the mousseline cream for an extra touch of flavor.
- Experiment with different types of nuts for the pralines, such as pistachios or pecans, to achieve a different taste.

Nutritional benefits
This dessert is rich in calories due to the butter and sugar content, but it also provides protein from the eggs and healthy fats from the nuts and almonds. Consumed in moderation, it can bring satisfaction and energy.

Now that you have gone through each step of the recipe, all that’s left is to enjoy the final result! Paris Brest is a true delight for the taste buds and an excellent way to impress your guests. I encourage you to share this recipe with friends and family to savor this refined delicacy together!

 Ingredients: For the dough: 250 ml of water, 1 tablespoon of sugar, a pinch of salt, 100 g of butter, 150 g of flour, 4 eggs. For the mousseline cream: 500 ml of milk, 4 egg yolks, 150 g of sugar, 40 g of cornstarch, 200 g of butter, 150 g of praline (100 g of sugar and 100 g of almonds + hazelnuts). For decoration: powdered sugar. For craquelin: 30 g of soft butter, 40 g of cane sugar, 40 g of flour.

 Tags:  mini choux with praline vanilla cream mini cabbage cream vanilla praline eclairs mini eclairs