Crème patisserie for the Mousseline and Crème Legere:

Ingredients:

• 3 eggs
• 3 egg yolks
• 150g caster sugar
• 75g plain flour
• 15g custard powder
• 2 tsp vanilla extract
• 900g milk
• 60g butter (cubed)
• 25g cocoa
• 2 tsp orange extract

Method:

1. Using a hand mixer, whisk the eggs and sugar until pale.
2. Mix the flour and custard powder together, then pour the egg mixture over the flour and blend it well together.
3. Put the milk and vanilla in a pan and bring to a boil, pour the hot milk into the egg mixture whisking all the time.
4. Pour everything back into the saucepan and cook on a low heat until thickened. Pour a third of the crème pat into a bowl and add in the orange extract mix well. Add in 25g of cocoa powder to the remaining crème pat, return to the heat for a minute stirring all the time.
5. Transfer to a cling film lined trays (as shown), cover with another layer of cling film and leave to cool.

For the praline paste:

Ingredients:

• 45ml water
• 70g caster sugar
• 60g golden syrup
• 60g toasted blanched hazelnuts
• 60g toasted sliced almonds
• ¼ tsp malden salt
• ¼ teaspoon bicarb of soda

Method:

1. Lightly grease a rimmed baking sheet and set aside. In a stainless -steel saucepan combine water, sugar, golden syrup, hazelnuts, almonds, and salt. Cook over medium heat, stirring frequently with a heat-resistant spatula to ensure sugar dissolves and doesn’t scorch, until mixture darkens to a tawny brown, and registers (160°C) about 10 minutes.
2. Remove from heat, then immediately stir in baking soda, folding with the heat-resistant spatula until everything is evenly foamy, then pour onto prepared baking sheet. Let cool to room temperature, about 30 minutes, when its room temperature immediately break the praline into pieces and transfer to the bowl of a food processor. Pulse several times to pulverise then let food processor run continuously until the praline transforms into a thick, peanut butter–like paste, about 3 minutes. Transfer paste to a small bowl, cover, and set aside.

Choux pastry for the Paris Brest:

Ingredients:

• 135g 50/50 milk and water
• 50g salted butter
• ½ tsp sugar
• 130g 50/50 strong/plain flour (sieved)
• 3-4 medium eggs

• 60g flaked almonds to sprinkle

Method:

1. Using a saucepan on a gentle heat melt the butter, salt & sugar, once melted bring it to a boil.
2. Mix the flours together then chute the sieved flour into the boiling water, mix vigorously with a wooden spoon.
3. Cook out the flour for 1-2 minutes until the pastry leaves the sides of the pan and looks quite shiny.
4. Transfer the pastry to a bowl and chop and beat the paste to remove some of the steam. Whilst still warm, add the eggs one at a time and beat in well either by hand or with an electric whisk. The paste when ready should drop off a spatula and form a “V“ shape.

For the Paris Brest:

1. Preheat oven to 190°C. Using a pencil, trace an 8-inch circle in the centre of a large square of parchment paper. Flip parchment over so that drawn ring is on underside. Blob a small amount of choux paste under each corner of parchment paper lining the baking sheet

    

   Fill a piping bag (fitted with a 12mm round or star nozzle) with the choux pastry.

   Slowly pipe with a downward pressure the first ring of choux along the traced circle. Pipe a second ring of choux just inside the first ring, making sure that the two rings are touching Pipe a third, final ring of choux on top of, and nestling in the groove between, the two piped rings. Dip a finger into cold water and gently pat down any bumps.

    

   Gently brush a light layer of egg wash over surface of the choux, don’t let the egg drip on the sides.  Sprinkle the choux with an even layer of sliced almonds. Bake for 35-40 minutes until choux ring is puffed, deeply golden brown, and feels hollow. Turn off oven, crack the door partially open, and let stand for 30 minutes Remove from oven and let cool completely.

For the Crème Mousseline:

Ingredients:

• 200g salted butter, softened to room temperature
• 1/3^rd recipe of the pastry crème.

Method:

1. Meanwhile, in the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, beat softened butter on medium speed until fluffy and light, about 5 minutes. Scrape down bowl and beater with a flexible spatula. Add prepared praline paste and beat on medium speed until well combined, about 3 minutes.
2. With mixer running at medium speed, add pastry cream, a few tablespoons at a time, pausing to scrape down bowl and paddle as needed, until thoroughly incorporated, about 30 seconds.
3. Switch to whisk attachment and whip mixture on medium speed until crème mousseline is soft and airy, about 3 minutes. Transfer crème mousseline to a pastry bag fitted with a 12mm French star tip.

To Assemble the Paris–Brest:

1. Transfer cooled choux ring to a large cutting board. Holding a serrated knife parallel to the board, make a small cut from the outside and slide it all the way through so that the tip comes out the inside of the ring. Gently slice the ring in half horizontally, using a sawing motion while simultaneously rotating the choux ring, to get a top and bottom half. Carefully lift off the top half and place it next to the bottom half.
2. Pipe the crème mousseline (as shown) in an even 5cm high layer onto the cut side of bottom half of the choux ring, making sure to apply steady pressure while piping. Place top half of choux ring over piped filling, and dust top evenly with powdered sugar.