Paris-Brest — choux pastry ring with praline cream

Set aside a little of the milk for the cream and whisk it with the yolks, sugar and cornstarch until smooth. Bring the remaining milk to a boil. Gradually pour it into the yolk mixture, whisking, then return everything to the saucepan. Cook over low heat, stirring constantly along the bottom and sides. Once it bubbles visibly, cook for another minute, until you have a thick, smooth custard.

Transfer the custard to a shallow dish and cover with plastic wrap pressed directly against the surface. Place the dish in cold water for about 20 minutes, then refrigerate for at least an hour. Prepare and bake the choux pastry during this time; do not leave the custard on the counter throughout baking.

Preheat the oven to 180°C using conventional heat, without a fan. In a saucepan, heat the milk and water for the pastry with the butter, teaspoon of sugar and salt. Once the butter has melted and the liquid comes to a boil, remove the pan from the heat. Add all the flour at once and stir vigorously with a spatula until no dry lumps remain.

Return the pan to low heat. Stir and press the dough against the pan for about 2–3 minutes, until it forms a ball, pulls away from the sides and leaves a thin film on the bottom. Transfer to a bowl and stir briefly to release the steam. Wait about 5 minutes before adding the eggs: the dough should be warm but no longer hot.

Add the beaten eggs in several batches, mixing thoroughly each time with a spatula or a mixer on low speed. Add the final batch a little at a time. The finished dough should be smooth and glossy, falling slowly from a lifted spatula in a thick ribbon and leaving a V shape hanging from it. Stop adding eggs as soon as you reach this consistency; you may not need all 150 g.

Draw a circle 20 cm in diameter on parchment paper, turn the paper over and place it on a baking sheet. Transfer the dough to a piping bag fitted with a round tip about 18 mm wide. Pipe one rope around the outline and a second just inside it, touching the first, then a third on top, centered over the join. Divide all the dough evenly among these three ropes. Sprinkle with the sliced almonds and gently press them in.

Bake on the middle rack for about 50–60 minutes. Do not open the oven during the first 40 minutes. The baked ring should be well risen, golden even in the cracks, and firm on the outside. If the sides are still pale or soft, bake it longer. Only once the shell is fully baked, turn off the oven and leave the ring inside for 10 minutes with the door ajar.

Transfer the ring to a wire rack and leave to cool completely, about an hour. For the final 30–45 minutes of cooling, take the custard and the butter for the cream out of the refrigerator. Before combining them, they should be at a similar room temperature: the custard must not be ice-cold, and the butter should be soft and easy to spread, but not melted.

Stir the praliné in its jar to mix in any separated oil. Beat the softened butter with a mixer for about 3 minutes, until pale and fluffy. Add the praliné and mix briefly until smooth and light brown.

Briefly whisk the custard until smooth again. Add it to the praline butter a spoonful at a time, mixing on medium speed. The finished cream should be fluffy, smooth and hold the marks left by the beaters. If it is too soft to pipe, chill for 15 minutes and briefly mix again.

Cut the completely cooled ring in half horizontally with a serrated knife, without pressing hard on the shell. Set the top aside and transfer the base to a serving plate. Put the cream in a piping bag fitted with a large star tip and pipe all of it onto the base in a dense row of touching rosettes. Keep the center hole empty. Replace the top, resting it gently on the cream.

Refrigerate the Paris-Brest for at least an hour. Take it out about 15 minutes before serving and lightly dust with powdered sugar through a sieve. Cut into 8 portions with a serrated knife. It is best the day it is filled, while the pastry is still crisp; keep any remaining portions refrigerated.