Paris-Brest à la Pistache

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Here is a complete, long-form recipe for a Paris-Brest Pistache (Pistachio Paris-Brest), including its history, formation, ingredients, methods, instructions, and even a poetic conclusion for lovers of pastry. Let’s go deep into the beauty of this iconic French dessert:

Paris-Brest à la Pistache

A tribute to love, heritage, and the dreamiest cream ever whipped.

Introduction

The Paris-Brest is more than a dessert—it’s a story, a legacy, and a work of art. Created in 1910 to commemorate the Paris–Brest–Paris bicycle race, this French pastry is shaped like a wheel and filled traditionally with praline mousseline cream. Today, we’re giving it a lush twist: Pistachio Paris-Brest, where rich pistachio cream fills a golden choux pastry ring, topped with crushed nuts and powdered sugar—a decadent delight for pistachio lovers and pâtisserie romantics.

This dessert demands a little time and care, but the result is truly unforgettably elegant.

History of the Paris-Brest

In 1910, French pastry chef Louis Durand from Maisons-Laffitte created the Paris-Brest to honor the long-distance bicycle race from Paris to Brest and back. Shaped as a wheel to represent the bicycle, it became popular not only among cyclists for its energy-rich filling but also among the French public for its luxurious taste.

The original version featured praline cream, but pastry lovers over the decades have created variations—including this luscious pistachio version that’s earthy, nutty, and ultra-refined.

Ingredients

For the Choux Pastry

  • 125 ml water
  • 125 ml whole milk
  • 100 g unsalted butter
  • 1 pinch of salt
  • 1 tsp sugar
  • 150 g all-purpose flour
  • 4 large eggs
  • 1 egg yolk (for brushing)
  • Sliced almonds or crushed pistachios (for topping)

For the Pistachio Praline

  • 100 g shelled pistachios (unsalted)
  • 100 g sugar
  • 1 tbsp water

For the Pistachio Praline Paste (optional, if using purchased paste, skip this)

  • 100 g pistachio praline
  • 1–2 tsp pistachio oil or neutral oil

For the Pistachio Mousseline Cream

  • 500 ml whole milk
  • 120 g egg yolks (about 6 yolks)
  • 120 g sugar
  • 40 g cornstarch
  • 250 g unsalted butter (softened)
  • 100 g pistachio praline paste
  • 1 tsp vanilla extract
  • Pinch of salt

To Decorate

  • Icing sugar
  • Chopped pistachios
  • Optional: candied rose petals or gold leaf for romance

Utensils Needed

  • Stand mixer or hand mixer
  • Piping bag with star tip
  • Saucepan
  • Whisk
  • Baking sheet and parchment
  • Food processor or blender

Step-by-Step Method

1. Make the Choux Pastry

  1. Preheat oven to 180°C (350°F).
  2. In a saucepan, combine water, milk, butter, salt, and sugar. Bring to a boil.
  3. Remove from heat and add the flour all at once. Stir vigorously with a wooden spoon until a dough forms and pulls away from the sides.
  4. Return to heat for 1–2 minutes to dry out the dough slightly.
  5. Transfer to a mixing bowl. Let cool for 5 minutes.
  6. Add eggs one by one, beating well after each addition, until the dough is smooth and glossy.
  7. Pipe into a ring shape (about 20 cm diameter) on parchment paper. You can trace a circle on the parchment first as a guide.
  8. Brush with egg yolk, sprinkle with crushed pistachios or almonds.
  9. Bake for 40–45 minutes, until puffed and golden. Don’t open the oven early!
  10. Let cool completely.

2. Make the Pistachio Praline (if not using store-bought paste)

  1. Line a tray with baking paper.
  2. In a saucepan, heat the sugar and water until it becomes amber caramel.
  3. Add pistachios, stir quickly to coat, and pour onto tray to cool.
  4. Once hardened, break into pieces and blend into a fine praline paste. Add oil if needed for smoothness.

3. Make the Mousseline Cream

  1. Heat milk with vanilla and pinch of salt.
  2. In a bowl, whisk yolks with sugar until pale, then add cornstarch.
  3. Pour a little hot milk into the yolk mix, whisk, then return to the saucepan.
  4. Cook while whisking constantly until thick like custard.
  5. Remove from heat and add half the butter. Chill for 1 hour.
  6. Beat the cold cream with remaining soft butter, then add pistachio praline paste.
  7. Beat until smooth and fluffy.

4. Assemble the Paris-Brest

  1. Slice the choux ring in half horizontally.
  2. Transfer mousseline to a piping bag fitted with a star tip.
  3. Pipe the cream in large swirls on the bottom half of the ring.
  4. Place the top half back gently.
  5. Dust with icing sugar and garnish with pistachios or decorative touches.

Formation & Presentation

Arrange the Paris-Brest on a golden platter. Add rose petals, crushed pistachios, or edible glitter. Serve chilled with espresso, Champagne, or a glass of almond milk.

Conclusion – A Dessert for Lovers

This is not merely a pastry—it’s a declaration of affection.
The cream melts like a stolen kiss, the pistachio warms the heart like whispered words.
Paris-Brest à la Pistache is for the one you love, or the one you’re learning to love. It’s for afternoons that linger and evenings that taste sweet. It’s a dessert for two… or one, if you dare.

And in every bite, a promise:
To love, to dream, to bake again.

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