Gȃteaux Paris-Brest

It's been a while since I've done any new bakes but last month I was set the challenge of making this decadent gȃteaux for my Dads birthday. I did actually write this post already but accidentally deleted it so hopefully second time lucky! The recipe came from the GBBO Showstopper book and I can't find the recipe online so I am just going to have to type it out for you.

I know it looks like a lot of work but once broken down into the individual aspects it becomes a lot simpler, I am no  professional baker and I managed it so you can too.

Ingredients:

Choux Pastry-
175ml Water
100g Plain Flour
¼ tsp Salt
75g Unsalted butter, diced
3 Large free range eggs, beaten

Praline-
75g Unblanched almonds
75g Caster sugar

Crème Pȃtissière-
250ml Creamy milk (I used full fat)
1 Vanilla pod (I used 1tsp vanilla extract)
3 Large free-range egg yolks
50g Caster sugar
1 ½ tbsp cornflour
250ml whipping cream

Method:

1. Pre heat the oven to 200℃ / 400℉ /gas 6 First I am going to run through how to make the choux pastry. The incorporation of the flour has to be done quite quickly so it is best to sift it into a bowl or tray ready for when its needed. Put the salt, butter and water in a medium pan and heat gently until the butter has melted. Then, quickly bring the mixture to the boil and tip all the flour in.

2. Taking the pan off the heat, beat vigorously with a wooden spoon until the mixture turns into a smooth thick dough. Put the pan back on a low heat and beat gently for a few more minutes to cook the dough. It should come away from the sides of the pan to make a smooth, glossy ball.

3. Tip the dough into a mixing bowl and cool until barely warm (takes quite a while be patient!) . Using an electric mixer, gradually add the eggs, beating well. Add enough egg to make a shiny, (remember you need to be able to pipe it, my eggs were quite small so don't be afraid to add a bit more if needed).
paste like dough that falls from the spoon when lightly shaken.

4. Draw a 20cm circle (diameter) on a piece of baking paper, turn the paper over and secure on a baking sheet. Fill a piping bag (plain tube nozzle) and pipe a ring over the drawn circle. Pipe a second ring inside the first, then a third ring on top of the first two to cover the seam.

5. Gently brush with beaten egg to glaze. Now the recipe says to sprinkle with flaked almonds before baking but I found that they burnt in the oven so I would recommend skipping this step. Bake for about 30 minutes until puffed and golden. Reduce the temperature to 180℃/350℉/Gas 4. Open and quickly close the oven to let out steam and bake for a further 10 minutes until crisp.

6. Remove from the oven, make a few holes around the middle using a skewer or knife to let out steam then return to the oven for another 5 minutes. Let the ring cool and then split in half with a sharp knife and leave to the side.

7.Now onto making the praline. Put the sugar and nuts in a medium pan and put over a medium/low heat. Stir occasionally with a metal spoon as the sugar melts, when it is completed melted turn up the heat and cook until a chestnut brown colour. Immediately pour onto a well oiled baking sheet and leave to set. Once cool, blend to a fine powder.

8. Set the praline powder to the side and move onto the crème pȃtissière. Heat the milk with the vanilla in a medium pan. Remove from the heat and let it infuse, remove the pod. Add the egg yolks, sugar and cornflour to a heatproof bowl and whisk until smooth, light and thick. Whisk in the hot milk, then tip it all back into the pan. Set over a medium heat and whisk continuously till the mixture has thickened to a custard consistency. Transfer to a clean bowl, cover with clingfilm and cool then chill. Add the praline powder then whip the cream and fold it in to the custard mixture.


9. Using a piping bag with a star nozzle, pipe the praline cream onto the bottom ring saving a little for decoration. Top with the upper ring. Pipe praline cream stars around the top ring, sprinkle with flaked almonds then dust with icing sugar. Serve within an hour, if it lasts that long! 😉


I know this is quite a complicated recipe but follow the steps carefully and it will all come together in the end.

"However difficult life may seem, there is always something you can do and succeed at" ~ Stephen Hawking

-Lucy x :)