Whenever I see pâte à choux, I automatically think whipped cream as a filling. Even after I saw “pastry cream” as the filling in this week’s recipe, I still thought “whipped cream”. I just feel like “pastry cream” is misleading (at least to me) because pastry cream’s texture is more like a pudding. So, in my mind, it should be called pastry pudding. But, whatever.
This week’s assignment, Paris brest, involved a simple pâte à choux dough piped in a circular pattern, baked with sliced almonds on top, and then filled with pastry cream. However, I didn’t have any sliced almonds on hand, so I skipped that part.
My dessert wasn’t as impressive as I thought it would be mainly because I didn’t pipe my choux dough high enough. Instead, I piped it 1-inch wide, making the circle too flat to slice in half. Good thing the recipe produced enough dough to make two circles. So, I improvised and used one circle for the base and the second for the top.
This Paris brest was made for French Fridays with Dorie, a group of bloggers who are cooking their way through Dorie Greenspan’s Around My French Table: More Than 300 Recipes from My Home to Yours.
Jan 31, 2014 @ 11:43:15
I am right there with you on the “pastry pudding” concept. Pudding does way more for me than whipped cream.
Looks great!
Jan 31, 2014 @ 11:49:06
Brilliant, I have done it back in 2006 and never tried it ever since 🙂
Jan 31, 2014 @ 13:01:08
That looks mighty impressive to me. I adore Paris Brest and will get it whenever I can get my hands on it!
Jan 31, 2014 @ 13:01:12
Whether you improvised or not the result looks stunning!
Jan 31, 2014 @ 13:44:06
Wow!!!
Jan 31, 2014 @ 13:53:17
I love Paris brest, always has been one of my favorites. They really are wonderful. I have never made them but would like to try. Your’s sound delicious!
Jan 31, 2014 @ 14:00:50
ciao! i want a bite…no, i want the whole sweet.
thebestdressup
Jan 31, 2014 @ 14:08:00
Good idea with the second circle of dough! I hadn’t though about the cream as pudding but you are right!
Jan 31, 2014 @ 14:18:34
Beautiful – you did a fantastic job:)
Jan 31, 2014 @ 14:29:04
Your Paris Brest looks fab! I loved this, even though it wasn’t as high as it probably ought to have been.
Jan 31, 2014 @ 15:50:22
Your improvisation worked perfectly–most impressive looking!
Jan 31, 2014 @ 16:02:53
It looks incredible – even if it didn’t turn out exactly as you wanted it to. I’d never have known if you hadn’t said!
Jan 31, 2014 @ 16:12:31
Pretty! And nice improv!
Jan 31, 2014 @ 16:14:20
Even though you had some challenges, I think this dessert looks amazing. Is it a custard cream filling? I love that with choux pastry xx
Jan 31, 2014 @ 17:27:48
Looks delightful! I have always wanted to make a Paris-Brest.
Jan 31, 2014 @ 18:28:37
“pudding” an interesting way of looking at crème pâtissière!
Jan 31, 2014 @ 19:52:27
Yes, I find the cream thing misleading. I think the shape and the grooves in your ring came out quite well.
Jan 31, 2014 @ 20:12:46
This is beautiful, Yummy! It is time for me to make one again. I made a mediocre one when I posted my pâte à choux. 😉
Jan 31, 2014 @ 22:28:21
I think you should give yourself more credit. This looks plenty impressive to me, not to mention thoroughly delectable, too.
Jan 31, 2014 @ 22:29:50
I think it looks fantastic 🙂
Jan 31, 2014 @ 23:11:45
It might not have been as high as you’d hoped, but it looks tremendous! I think it’s impressive! And I learned something…never knew what pastry cream really was. I thought it was whipped cream!
Jan 31, 2014 @ 23:28:05
Beautiful dessert! I love both whipped cream and pastry cream. 🙂
Jan 31, 2014 @ 23:58:37
It looks very impressive. I love any pastry cream filling.
Feb 01, 2014 @ 08:08:07
I admire anything that involves piping — I don’t do that. Your pastry looks good enough to eat for breakfast.
Feb 01, 2014 @ 09:40:29
Give me whipped cream, custard or pastry cream…I love them all…including pudding! I think your Paris Brest came out beautiful!
Feb 01, 2014 @ 10:51:14
Wow, this sounds and looks amazing! Cream and Choux is the best thing ever! 🙂
Feb 01, 2014 @ 11:12:08
It looks beautiful, especially your pastry. I’m also more of a fan of pudding than pastry cream, and have also had many a Paris Brest with sliced strawberries and piped whipped cream, though I’m sure that isn’t authentic.
Feb 01, 2014 @ 15:09:11
I don’t like whipped cream, so pastry cream being custard/pudding was OK by me. I love how you improvised using a whole ring for each layer. Looks terrific.
Feb 01, 2014 @ 15:28:34
I love the look of it. I just want to pick it up and take a bite! 🙂 (Or maybe slice and share…maybe!)
Feb 01, 2014 @ 17:34:29
Well, the result looks good, I love Paris Brest!!
Feb 01, 2014 @ 17:52:47
I’ve never seen this before! I’m sure it’s absolutely delicious!
Feb 01, 2014 @ 18:40:16
It looks so good! What a fancy and elegant recipe 🙂 I’ve always been scared of pate au choux dough but I might have to try it!
Feb 01, 2014 @ 19:08:12
Brava for your fast thinking! Two rings made for a lovely, tall Paris-Brest!
Feb 01, 2014 @ 19:41:48
How beautiful! I agree, pastry “cream” is more like a pudding!
Feb 01, 2014 @ 19:53:31
So delicious my friend, such a classy dessert 😀
Cheers
Choc Chip Uru
Feb 01, 2014 @ 20:54:18
Your Paris-Brest looks pretty alright to me. It’s beautiful and I’m sure it tasted pretty alright also. Nice job.
Feb 02, 2014 @ 01:22:42
That pastry looks simply, WOW!!!
Feb 02, 2014 @ 03:39:09
Beautifull pastry!!!
Feb 02, 2014 @ 04:41:10
Looks good!
Monica Harmony’s Blog
Feb 02, 2014 @ 05:30:45
I think your pastry looks heavenly!
Feb 02, 2014 @ 08:10:11
It’s nice to see that you go for it every single time. I’d eat that whole thing in a heartbeat.
Feb 02, 2014 @ 10:48:55
Yummy
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Feb 02, 2014 @ 10:54:38
It sure looks impressive!
Feb 02, 2014 @ 10:55:34
These look perfect! Going on the menu for this week!
Feb 02, 2014 @ 11:12:27
It looks amazing!
Feb 02, 2014 @ 15:06:21
Pretty – looks terrific!
Feb 02, 2014 @ 15:09:47
I quite agree with “pastry pudding” being a more suitable name. Meanwhile, I started thinking of pastry cream and my mouth started to water.Would you say the almonds were needed to complete it, or if you do it again, you’ll skip them, but this time on purpose?
Feb 02, 2014 @ 17:10:09
Coucou!
Je voudrais t’informer du déménagement de mon blog “amoroccantouch” , dorénavant mon blog est “http://thinklikealion.wordpress.com/” et j’aimerai beaucoup, si ça te dérange pas, que tu partage cette info pour que tout le monde puisse voir mon tout nouveau blog!
N’hésites pas non plus a t’abonner a mon blog et à y laisser un petit commentaire pour me dire ce que tu penses de ce gros changement 🙂
Merci beaucoup, désolée du dérangement et gros bisous!!
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Feb 02, 2014 @ 18:09:29
I think this is impressive and oh so beautiful!
Feb 02, 2014 @ 19:35:48
it looks just perfect
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Feb 03, 2014 @ 06:03:32
That’s the most delicious looking “mistake” I’ve ever seen! =)
Let me know and I’ll be MORE THAN HAPPY to get rid of any future “mistakes”…In my BELLY!! LOL
Feb 03, 2014 @ 11:17:06
This looks absolutely amazing!
Feb 03, 2014 @ 11:52:40
Ahhhh! Makes me so hungry!
xoxo
Feb 03, 2014 @ 15:31:56
Just beautiful!
Feb 03, 2014 @ 16:58:08
I would have no problem digging into this gorgeous dessert! I think it looks perfect!!
Feb 03, 2014 @ 20:25:35
Looks so delicious!!
Feb 03, 2014 @ 21:23:05
looks so appetizing! reminds me of the italian zeppole!
Feb 04, 2014 @ 04:19:40
It still looks pretty impressive to me! Nicely done.
Feb 04, 2014 @ 07:28:29
Hi YC, Gong Xi Fa Chai to you!! What an impressive and lip smacking dessert!!
Feb 04, 2014 @ 07:37:38
i have never tried this but I NEED TO! As it looks utterly divine! so impressive my friend
Feb 04, 2014 @ 08:51:17
Kong Hei Fat Choy! This is a gorgeous dessert and I love how you made 2 layers and cream in the center. I have never made anything like this and I’m sure my family would like for me to try this recipe straight away.
Feb 04, 2014 @ 11:13:29
Very smart improvisation! This is beautiful.
Feb 04, 2014 @ 13:07:30
Wow this is so impressive!!!
Feb 04, 2014 @ 13:08:17
You might not think this is good, but it’s amazing in my eyes!
Feb 04, 2014 @ 14:39:38
Pretty! I think the same thing about pastry cream. 🙂 Definitely just fancy pudding!
Feb 04, 2014 @ 17:42:35
Looks awesome! I need to try to make this one of this days…
Have a wonderful week 😀
Feb 04, 2014 @ 18:54:24
I think yours looks fabulous! I had a similar instance with mine- so I remade it. But what a good idea!
Feb 05, 2014 @ 01:03:51
i have been so intimidated to make pate a chaux that i haven’t attempted it yet…lol. but, i always admire people who can make them so perfectly like you 🙂
Feb 05, 2014 @ 05:15:49
This looks absolutely perfect!
Feb 05, 2014 @ 06:54:16
I’ll never forget my first time in Lygon Street – a place known for Italian food – I was so used to choux pastry with cream that I found the pastry cream or custard very odd and hated it – fortunately my tastes have matured since then – your paris brest looks lovely
Feb 05, 2014 @ 07:26:09
This is a pastry that I have never tried making but it certainly does sound good.
Feb 05, 2014 @ 11:08:21
delicious 🙂
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Feb 05, 2014 @ 13:06:40
This looks amazing!
Pure temptation on a dessert plate:)
Feb 05, 2014 @ 16:16:49
Absolutely gorgeous! Nice work!
Feb 07, 2014 @ 12:15:13
Whether you improvised or not, this dessert looks so delicious and beautiful!
Feb 12, 2014 @ 01:12:14
It looks pretty impressive to me!!! Wow!
Feb 17, 2014 @ 08:30:53
Agreed on the pastry “cream” but think your dessert looks beautiful! Wish we had been able to join in that week!
Feb 20, 2014 @ 12:28:56
This is a mouthwatering dessert! Absolutely incredible; yum 🙂