Hazelnut Praline Paris-Brest
Discover how to make a hazelnut praline Paris-Brest with golden choux pastry, a cream cheese praline filling, and tips for a crisp, stable finish.
The Paris-Brest is a classic French pastry shaped like a wheel, and it looks far more intimidating than it really is. A ring of golden choux pastry is split open and filled with a nutty hazelnut praline cream, then finished with powdered sugar and chopped hazelnuts. It makes a striking dessert for a holiday table or a relaxed weekend gathering.
This version leans into hazelnuts from start to finish. You toast the nuts, caramelize them into praline, and whip that praline into a cream stiffened with cream cheese. The filling is rich without being heavy, and it pipes into neat rosettes. It is a lovely way to finish a weeknight dinner of baked chicken or a ground beef skillet.
Why Hazelnut Praline Tastes So Good
Praline is nuts cooked into caramelized sugar, and it brings a deep, toasty flavor that plain sugar cannot match. Toasting the hazelnuts first gives the praline its roasted character, so it tastes rich rather than raw. Once the praline is hard, the food processor turns it into a thick, glossy paste. If that paste stays too dry, add oil only a little at a time, since too much will loosen the cream later.
Getting the Choux Shells Right
Choux dough is cooked on the stove before it ever sees the oven. It is ready once it pulls away from the sides of the pan and forms a smooth ball. After the eggs go in, look for a glossy dough that falls slowly from the spoon in a thick V shape. Dough that is too stiff bakes up dense, while dough that is too loose spreads and loses its ring shape.
Patience matters most in the oven. Keep the door closed during the early part of baking, because opening it lets steam escape and can cause the shells to sink. Bake until the ring is deep golden and feels dry and firm. Pale or soft shells tend to collapse as they cool, so take the extra time.
Making a Praline Cream That Pipes Cleanly
Cream cheese is the key to a filling that holds its shape. Soften it fully, then beat it with the powdered sugar and vanilla bean powder until there are no lumps. Stir in the praline paste until smooth, and fold in the whipped cream gently so the filling stays light. Chilling turns this mixture into something you can pipe, so use cold heavy cream and a chilled bowl for the whipping.
Finishing Touches for a Bakery-Style Look
The finish is where this dessert earns its charm. Powdered sugar gives it a classic bakery look, and chopped hazelnuts add crunch to the top. Reserved praline crumbs are optional but make a lovely final flourish. A serrated knife helps you slice the cooled ring cleanly, and the Paris-Brest tastes best when served fresh, while the shells are still crisp.
Frequently Asked Questions
Why did my choux shells collapse?
Shells usually collapse when they are underbaked or opened too early in the oven. Make sure they are deep golden and feel dry and firm before you cool them. Pale, soft shells lose their structure as they cool, so take the extra baking time seriously.
How do I know when the praline is ready to grind?
The praline should be fully hard and cooled before you break it up. Once it is in pieces, the food processor does the rest. Keep processing until the mixture is finely ground and clumps into a thick paste. If it stays dry, add a little neutral oil at a time.
Why does my praline cream look runny?
Runny cream usually comes from warm ingredients or from folding the whipped cream in too roughly. Chill the filling until it firms, and fold gently in a few additions until no streaks remain. A chilled bowl and cold heavy cream help the whipped cream hold soft peaks.
Recipe
Hazelnut Praline Paris-Brest
A ring of golden choux pastry is split and filled with a hazelnut praline cream, then dusted with powdered sugar and chopped hazelnuts. The cream is stiffened with cream cheese so it holds its shape when piped.
- Course
- Dessert
- Cuisine
- French
- Difficulty
- Intermediate
- Servings
- 8 servings
- Prep time
- 30 mins
- Cook time
- 1 hr
- Total time
- 2 hr 45 mins
- Calories
- 590 kcal
Ingredients
Hazelnut praline
Choux pastry
Praline cream
Topping
Instructions
Hazelnut praline
Preheat the oven to 425°F and line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Toast the hazelnuts in a dry skillet over medium-low heat for about 8 minutes, stirring often, until fragrant and deep golden. Wrap the warm nuts in a clean kitchen towel and rub off as much of the skin as you can.
Set aside 1/4 cup of the toasted hazelnuts and chop them coarsely for the topping. Wipe out the skillet. Sprinkle the sugar evenly into the dry skillet over medium heat. Let it melt without stirring, swirling the pan gently, until it turns amber, about 5 minutes.
Add the remaining 3/4 cup of toasted hazelnuts and stir for about 2 minutes until they are coated. Pour the mixture onto the parchment-lined sheet and spread it thin. Let it cool for 20 minutes until hard.
Break the praline into pieces and transfer them to a food processor. Process for 3 to 5 minutes until finely ground and clumping into a thick paste, adding the oil a little at a time if it stays too dry. Measure 1/2 cup of the paste for the cream and set the rest aside for garnish.
Choux pastry
In a medium saucepan, combine the water, milk, butter, sugar and salt. Bring to a full boil over medium heat, about 3 minutes, stirring until the butter melts. Reduce the heat to medium-low, add the flour all at once and stir vigorously with a wooden spoon for about 2 minutes, until the dough pulls away from the sides and forms a ball.
Transfer the dough to a large bowl and let it cool for about 5 minutes. Beat in the 4 eggs one at a time, mixing well after each, until the dough is smooth, glossy and falls slowly from the spoon in a thick V shape.
Trace an 8-inch circle on the parchment, then flip the parchment over so the marking shows through. Fit a pastry bag with a 1/2-inch star tip and fill it with the dough. Pipe a ring of dough over the circle, starting at the outside edge and working in a spiral so the ring is even and about 3 inches wide.
Brush the ring evenly with the egg wash, then sprinkle with the chopped toasted hazelnuts. Place the sheet in the oven and bake at 425°F for 15 minutes without opening the door.
Reduce the oven temperature to 350°F and bake for 25 more minutes, until the ring is deep golden brown and feels dry and firm. Turn off the oven, prop the door open slightly and let the ring cool on the pan for 20 minutes.
Praline cream
In a medium bowl, beat the softened cream cheese, powdered sugar and vanilla bean powder until smooth, about 2 minutes. Add the 1/2 cup of praline paste and beat until fully blended and smooth.
In a separate chilled bowl, whip the cold heavy cream to soft peaks, about 3 minutes. Fold the whipped cream into the praline mixture in two additions until no streaks remain. Cover and refrigerate for 30 minutes so the cream firms up enough to pipe.
Topping
Using a serrated knife, slice the cooled ring horizontally in half. Fit the pastry bag with the star tip and fill it with the chilled praline cream. Pipe rosettes evenly over the bottom half of the ring, then set the top half back on.
Dust the top with the powdered sugar and scatter the remaining praline crumbs over the top if you like. Serve right away or refrigerate until serving.
Notes
- Keep the oven door closed for the first 15 minutes of baking. Opening it lets the steam escape, and the shells can sink before they set.
- Bake the shells until they are deep golden and feel firm and dry. Pale or soft shells tend to collapse as they cool and can turn soggy once filled.
- Store the assembled Paris-Brest covered in the refrigerator and serve within 1 day. The cream cheese and whipped cream are dairy and should not sit out for more than 2 hours.
Recipe: https://dishwhisperer.com/hazelnut-praline-paris-brest/
