Tuesday, June 16, 2015

Paris Brest

Chou à la crème

DSC_6719The circular chou or choux (pronounce shu) is way elegant and fancy, even the name. I spied this recipe on ‘cookpad.com (recipe#3179131)’. 
It is just (Lord of the) Ring…(just kidding)… style cream puff yet chic enough that it is presentable as a dessert for precious guests.

Strawberries in our yard are tired looking and probably won’t last too much longer…marrying the last crops of strawberries…with this ring (recipe)…I thee wed…phew, I had a very long day.DSC_6698

Martha Stewart version of ‘Paris Brest’ YouTube video is worth watching.

Ingredients and Instruction for two 6 inch Paris Brest (Print Recipe here)

Necessary equipment: food scale, 2-3 piping bags with 1/2 inch round tip and star tip, sifter/fine mesh sieve, parchment paper

  • For microwave whole egg custard cream – 1 egg, 1 Tablespoon low viscosity flour, 50 g sugar, 200 cc milk, 20 g, butter,  1/2 teaspoon vanilla essence
  • 50 g regular butter, if you using unsalted butter, add 1/2 teaspoon salt cut in cubes
  • 140 cc water
  • 1/2 teaspoon sugar
  • 40 g bread flour, combine with low viscosity flour below and sift
  • 40 g viscosity flour
  • 3 eggs
  • Chantilly cream – recipe here
  • strawberries (optional)
  • powdered sugar
  1. Make microwave whole egg custard cream -  combine egg, flour, sugar with whisk in a medium size bowl. Add milk and mix well, strain the mixture through sieve into larger bowl. Put in a microwave for 2 minutes 30 seconds with 60% power, whisk and put back in the microwave for 2 minutes with 60% power. If it’s still runny then microwave an additional 30 seconds until creamy but not too thick. Cover with plastic directly on the custard. Chill in refrigerator. Set aside.
  2. Chou batter – Draw two 4 inch circles on the parchment paper (I traced 4 inch bowl) and flip. Set aside. Heat oven to 400F.DSC_6635
  3. Put butter, water, sugar and flour in a thick bottom pan and cook to full boil at medium heat . Remove from heat then add flours at once. Bring back to cooktop.
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  4. Cook batter at medium heat while continually stirring with wooden spoon until a thin film coats the bottom of pan about 1 minute. Remove from heat and wait mixture to cool down little bit 3-5 minutes.DSC_6646
  5. Add egg one at a time, mix well each time – stop adding eggs when you achieve the right texture – when you lift the wooden spatula, the batter will form a triangle and drop slowly to bowl (see the pic). I used 2 and 1/2 eggs.
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  6. Put batter in a bag (I recommend 16 inch or larger piping bag for easier fill). Pipe out batter on the perimeter of the circle (make sure the circles you drew are on the back side of the parchment paper). Then pipe out another time around that one. Pipe out more batter on top of two circles. Repeat the process for another circle. Make smooth with wetted finger for neater look. Brush with egg wash (mix I egg yolk and 1 Tablespoon water) on the top for shine if you like.DSC_6660
  7. Bake for 20 minutes. :Warning: never open the oven door! at any point during cooking. Without opening door, change the temperature to 375F .Bake for 10 minutes. Again without opening the oven door, change temperature to 320F. Bake for 30 minutes. Now you’re done! Take out from the oven and cool.DSC_6662
  8. Assembly – When the Paris Blest is cooled, slice horizontally in the middle – take your time on this process. Fill the bottom half of the ring with chilled custard cream (use piping bag with 1/2 inch tip if you prefer but not necessary). Place strawberries if using. Put Chantilly cream in a piping bag with star tip, pipe out between the strawberries. Top with upper half of the ring. Sprinkle with powdered sugar. DSC_6670DSC_6672DSC_6700DSC_6710DSC_6715DSC_6727

Of course you could just make humble cream puffs.DSC_6678

From Today’s TAPAS instagram post (#todaystapas)….satsuma sweet potato kinpira….was really good! See the Meiji Era, hand painted antique plate? Nice huh?IMG_4250

And to celebrate King Kamehameha Day (6/11), I made SPAM musubi.I love it with basil leaf.IMG_4274

Wishing you a ‘sunshine in your heart’ kind of day!

31 comments:

  1. イチゴ入りのリングのシュークリームですか~~!美味しそう!
    どちらかというと、和菓子党なんですけど、手作りの洋菓子は又格別です。大好きです。ご存知かもしれませんが、今日本で、何十年も続いてる朝の連続ドラマ、半年シリーズなんですが、4月からパテシェを目指して奮闘中の若い女性が主人公のドラマの物語やってます。応援しながら、面白くて欠かさず見てます。
    女性のケーキ職人さんは正しくはパティシエールっていうそうですね。覚えやすくて、きれいなサウンドだと思いました。

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    1. 私もそのドラマ見たいです。 料理に関するドラマや映画、大好きです。南極料理人、デイナー、古いところで、ランチ女王 などなど。 今週はポートランド市にある、ローズガーデンを見に行こうかなと思ってます。とも子さんのブログを拝見して、ローズ鑑賞もいいかなーって。コメント本当にありがとうございます。

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  2. It is so nice to see a post from you and I am getting hungry. Thank you so much for sharing! :)

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    1. Thank you Linda. Meanwhile in Canada is so funny!

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  3. Choux pastry is my husband's favourite. This looks so beautiful and I am very sure it's very tasty with seasonal berries.

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    1. Thank you so much for your comment, Angie. My raspberry plant is bearing fruits, I love to try your raspberry dressing soon.

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  4. omg! This pastry must be delicious! I love it!

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    1. Thank you so much Marcela. Your lemon and coconut muffin sounds delicious! You bake lots of sweets yet stay thin and beautiful...how is that possible?

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  5. This looks so awesome! I've never thought of spam musubi with basil before. I will have to try it.

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    1. Thank you Kay. Louis Armstrong story was really touching.

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  6. Sweet potato kinpira is so different. I'm getting hungry!

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  7. Choux with cream is a dream...but with strawberry as well...you're making us all want to live in your kitchen:) ...and I have to eat mine in that painted antique plate...it's very pretty!

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    1. Thank you Annie! What a charming place you live!

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  8. OMG, are you kidding me!!! Who makes stuff like that? Only the most perfect person. And your photos. The angles you use . . . from the top, the macro . . . I even like your spam shot with the shells and the curled up can top in the background . . . seemingly random, but I know it's not. I will ask you again . . . can you move to Hawaii and be my neighbor?

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    1. Thank you Jalna. Chicken papaya dish looks good...but I think I will try the Jambalaya dish first.

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  9. How fancy your circular choux...I love it, indeed great to impress guest...looks so beautiful and elegant!
    Oh spam musubi, I remember having this in Hawaii...
    Have a beautiful week Nipon Nin :)

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    1. Thank you Juliana. I'm excited about growing micro green in jar. I think it's a fabulous idea.

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  10. こんばんは。昨日、旅行から帰りました。 庭で採れたイチゴのシュークリームが美味しそうです。
     しゃもじで捏ねるのも良いですね。
     spam おにぎり、これも素敵です。

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    1. 北海道の写真、大変素敵でした。 ほんとに羨ましいくらいです。 コメントありがとうございました。

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  11. As always your treats were delicious and very enjoyed! Thank you!

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    1. You're very welcome! Enjoy watching children playing outside. Have a wonderful Summer!

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  12. Congrats! Your Paris-Brest are perfect and look incredibly delicious!

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    1. Thank you so much for your visit and kind comment. I enjoyed visiting your blog also. The artichoke dip recipe is worth the try.

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  13. When I saw your choux form I was going to say it looked like Paris Brest shape.... (Paris-Brest in France is always filled with cream including ground caramelised hazelnut). My husband loves this cake, but for me it's much too sweet and too heavy. Your version looks like a real treat for whipped cream lovers and both the shape and the texture look perfect. The strawberries are so precious and cute, I think they would never make it to the top of this cream in my case...
    I love the kinpira plate! (And the kinpira too!).

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    1. Thank you Sissi! I'm craving for chawan mushi....you did great job on all the chawan mushi recipes.

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  14. this looks amazing what a talented baker you are and an honor to the strawberries

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    1. Thank you so much Rebecca. I truly enjoyed the tour of historic houses, River light house and country side.

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  15. リング型のシュークリームですか! おしゃれですね。いつも感心してるんですが、盛り付け、食器選び、テーブルマット・・すべてが自然にセンスがいいです。クッキングシートはparchment sheet と言うんですね。お料理のアイデア、レシピだけでなく英語の勉強にもなり感謝しています。

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    1. コメントありがとうございました。 今度ぜひ、当寺の苔のある場所を訪ねてみたいです。 写真、最高でした。
      ええーとparchemnt paper とも呼びます。

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  16. I have tried this choux once and I loved it! I am sure I am going to love this one as well!

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    1. Thank you Katerina. Savory cheese cake looks mighty fine! I have to get some tomatoes!

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