Hazelnut Paris-Brest
A decadent French dessert featuring a crispy choux pastry with a crunchy cocoa craquelin topping, filled with a luxurious whipped hazelnut ganache and a rich crispy chocolate almond filling. Perfect for special occasions or as a show-stopping treat!
Ingredients
For the Whipped Hazelnut Ganache
- 150 g hot liquid cream (30% fat)
- 125-150 g white chocolate
- 140 g praline
- 3-4 g gelatin pre-hydrated
- 450 g cold liquid cream (30% fat)
For the Craquelin (Cocoa Crunchy Topping)
- 85 g caster sugar
- 72 g flour
- 5 g bitter cocoa powder
- 70 g butter
For the Choux Pastry
- 62 g milk
- 62 g water
- 55 g unsalted butter
- 1 pinch of salt
- 67 g T55 flour (or all-purpose)
- 110 g beaten eggs (about 2 eggs)
For the Crispy Chocolate Almond Filling
- 200 g chocolate almond spread
- 100 g praline
Instructions
Prepare the Whipped Hazelnut Ganache (at least 4 hours ahead)
- Heat 150 g of liquid cream until hot but not boiling.
- Remove from heat and pour it over the white chocolate, hydrated gelatin, and praline. Stir until the chocolate is fully melted and the mixture is smooth.
- Gradually add the cold cream (450 g), mix well, and refrigerate for at least 4 hours.
- When ready to use, whip the ganache until light and fluffy. Set aside.
Make the Craquelin Topping
- Combine the butter, sugar, flour, and cocoa powder, kneading until you get a smooth dough.
- Roll the dough between two sheets of baking paper to about 2-3 mm thick.
- Freeze the dough for a few minutes, then cut out pieces to fit on top of your choux buns.
Prepare the Choux Pastry
- Preheat the oven to 170°C (338°F).
- In a saucepan, heat the water, milk, butter, salt, and sugar until the butter melts and the mixture boils.
- Remove from heat and quickly stir in the flour. Return to low heat and cook the dough for 2-3 minutes, stirring constantly, to dry it out.
- Let the dough cool slightly, then transfer it to a food processor. Gradually add the beaten eggs until a smooth dough forms.
- Pipe the dough into circles (for Paris-Brest) on a lined baking sheet, then place the pre-cut craquelin on top.
- Bake for 35-40 minutes until golden brown. Let the choux buns cool completely.
Prepare the Crispy Chocolate Almond Filling
- In a bowl, mix the chocolate almond spread with the praline until well combined.
Assemble the Paris-Brest
- Cut the baked choux buns horizontally.
- Fill the bottom half with the crispy chocolate almond filling.
- Pipe the whipped hazelnut ganache on top of the filling.
- Place the top half of the choux pastry over the ganache and lightly press down.
Notes
- Ensure the whipped ganache is thoroughly chilled before whipping, or it may not hold its shape.
- For extra crunch, sprinkle some chopped nuts on the crispy almond filling before piping the ganache.