Paris-Brest

Paris-Brest is a French dessert that was created in 1910 by pastry chef Louis Durand. The dessert was inspired by the Paris-Brest-Paris bicycle race and is shaped to resemble a bicycle wheel. It is made from choux pastry and filled with praline-flavored cream.

History

The Paris-Brest dessert was created by Louis Durand, a pastry chef from Maisons-Laffitte, at the request of Pierre Giffard, the organizer of the Paris-Brest-Paris bicycle race. Giffard wanted a dessert that would commemorate the race and asked Durand to create a pastry in the shape of a bicycle wheel. The dessert quickly became popular and is now a staple in French patisseries.

Preparation

The Paris-Brest is made from choux pastry, a light pastry dough used in many pastries. The dough is piped in the shape of a wheel and then baked until it is golden and crisp. Once cooled, the pastry is sliced in half and filled with a praline-flavored cream. The top of the pastry is then replaced and dusted with powdered sugar.

Variations

There are several variations of the Paris-Brest. Some versions use different types of cream fillings, such as chocolate or coffee-flavored cream. Others add additional elements, such as caramel or fruit. Despite these variations, the traditional Paris-Brest with praline-flavored cream remains the most popular.

See also

• Choux pastry
• French cuisine
• Praline