Raspberry Paris Brest
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Recipe Intro From zoebakes
This Raspberry Paris Brest by ZoeBakes is a beautifully nontraditional take on a very traditional French pastry. The fresh, tart Driscoll's raspberries help cut through the sweet pastry cream making it both a tasty and showstopping dessert.
- Recipe Card
Recipe Card
For the Pastry Cream
ingredients
- 2 cups milk
- 1/2 cup sugar
- 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
- Pinch of salt
- 1/2 vanilla bean or 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
- 3 tablespoons cornstarch (arrowroot will also work)
- 1 large egg
- 3 large egg yolks
For the Raspberry Jam Filling
ingredients
- 2 sticks (1 cup) unsalted butter, softened
- 1/2 cup Driscoll's raspbery quick jam (recipe below) or store bought raspberry preserves
- Pinch salt
- Fresh Driscoll's raspberries, for inside the Paris Brest
- Confectioners' sugar, for dusting the top of the Paris Brest
Other
ingredients
- 1 batchpâte à choux (cream puff dough)
- Egg wash (1 egg mixed with 1 tablespoon water)
- 1/4 cup slivered almonds
To Bake the Choux Paste for Paris Brest:
Method
Step 1
Preheat oven to 375°F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Trace an 8-inch circle on the sheet of parchment.
Step 2
Prepare the choux paste as directed in the eclairs post. Fill a Piping Bag, fitted with a Large Round Decorating Tip (The opening should be 1/2-inch across) with the choux paste. Pipe the choux paste just inside the traced line on the parchment. Pipe a second circle, just outside the line traced on the parchment. The two lines should be touching. Pipe a third line of choux paste on top of the seam created by the first to lines.
Step 3
Gently paint the top with the egg wash and sprinkle the almonds over the top.
Step 4
Bake for 30 minutes or until puffed and golden brown. Turn the heat down to 350°F without opening the door. Bake at 350°F for an additional 20 minutes. Turn off the oven and allow the pastry to cool in the oven for 1 hour.
Make the Pastry Cream:
Step 1
Bring the milk, 1/4 cup of the sugar, butter, salt and vanilla bean to a gentle boil in a medium saucepan. Remove from heat.
Step 2
Whisk together the cornstarch and the remaining 1/4 cup of sugar. Add the egg and yolks to the cornstarch and mix into a smooth paste.
Step 3
Slowly, and in small amounts, whisk a little of the hot milk into the egg mixture. This is called tempering the eggs, which you need to do to get them to the same temperature of the hot milk in the pan, so they won't curdle.
Step 4
Once the egg mixture is warm to the touch, pour it back into the milk in the pan.
Step 5
Return the custard to the stove and bring to a boil, whisking continuously for 2 to 3 minutes. The pastry cream will thicken almost immediately but it is important to cook out the starch so that it isn't grainy and so your pastry cream won't separate. (separating pastry cream is when the liquid releases from the cream, easily prevented by cooking for 2-3 minutes!) When the pastry cream is done it will be smooth and glossy.
Step 6
Strain the pastry cream into a shallow container. Because the pastry cream is so thick you will need to press it through the strainer with a rubber spatula.
Step 7
Cover with plastic wrap pressed directly on the surface of the cream to prevent a skin from forming. Set the container in the freezer for 15 minutes (this cools down the eggs quickly) and then refrigerate for up to a few days.
Make the Raspberry Jam:
Step 1
In a stand mixer, whip the butter until light and fluffy, about 3 minutes with the whisk attachment. Add the raspberry jam and salt, whip until well incorporated.
Step 2
Stir the cooled pastry cream until smooth, then add it to the raspberry butter 1/4 cup at a time. Scrape down the bowl as you add. Continue until the mixture is smooth and light.
Assemble the Paris Brest:
Step 1
Cut off the top of the baked choux paste in one piece (you will be replacing it on the top of the pastry).
Step 2
Use a Large Star Pastry Tip to pipe a thick layer of the raspberry filling into the bottom of the baked choux paste. Add fresh raspberries over the filling and then pipe a second layer of the raspberry filling.
Step 3
Place the cut choux paste over the top and dust with confectioners' sugar.