MKR Recipes Episode 17: Justin and Will’s Paris-Brest with Pistachio Crème

Recipes Ingredients

Sifted icing sugar, to dust

Recipes Choux pastry

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125ml water

50g butter

70g strong flour

½ tsp caster sugar

¼ tsp salt

2 eggs

300ml milk

50g caster sugar

1 tsp vanilla bean paste

4 egg yolks

60g plain flour

½ tsp salt

50g unsalted butter, cold and cubed

100g pistachio paste

Recipes Pistachio praline

200g shelled pistachios, coarsely chopped

220g caster sugar

250ml water

Recipes Method

1. Preheat oven to 190C. Line a large oven tray with baking paper and draw six 12cm diameter rings on paper. Inside each, draw a 9cm diameter ring. Flip paper over so tracing is on the underside.
2. To make choux pastry, place the water and butter in a medium saucepan over medium heat. Cook, stirring, for 3-4 minutes or until butter melts and mixture just comes to the boil.
3. Combine the flour, sugar and salt in a bowl. Add to the butter mixture and use a wooden spoon to beat until well combined. Reduce heat to low and cook, stirring, for 1-2 mins or until the mixture forms a ball and begins to come away from the side of the pan. Transfer to the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with a paddle attachment and cool to 60C.
4. Whisk eggs in a small bowl. Add half to the flour mixture. Beat on medium or until just combined. With motor operating, gradually add enough of the remaining egg, beating until the mixture just falls from the paddle, but still holds its shape. Transfer dough to a piping bag fitted with a 1.5cm-diameter round piping nozzle.
5. Lightly flick the prepared tray with a little water. Pipe dough onto traced circles and use a water-moistened finger to smooth down the join in the circles.
6. Bake for 30 mins or until puffed and golden. Remove from oven and turn the oven off. Use a skewer or a small knife to pierce the base of each choux to release the steam. Return the choux to the oven and leave for 15 mins to dry out. Remove the choux from the oven and transfer to a wire rack to cool. Cut choux rounds in half horizontally.
7. To make pistachio crème, stir milk, sugar and vanilla paste in a saucepan over low heat until sugar is dissolved and mixture is hot.
8. Whisk egg yolks, flour and salt until smooth and combined. Gradually whisk in hot milk in a thin steady stream.
9. Return mixture to saucepan and cook, stirring, over low heat until thickened. Whisk in butter a cube at a time. Pass through a sieve and into a bowl. Cover surface with plastic wrap and refrigerate until cold. Whisk in the pistachio paste.
10. To make praline, line an oven tray with baking paper. Spread nuts on tray in a single layer. Stir sugar and water in a medium heavy-based saucepan, without boiling, until sugar dissolves. Use a wet pastry brush to brush down any stray sugar crystals on side of pan. Bring mixture to a boil. Boil, without stirring, until golden brown. Carefully pour caramel over nuts on prepared tray. Cool until set. Break into pieces. Process until coarsely chopped.
11. To assemble, pipe a little of the pistachio crème into the base of the choux rings to fill any holes in the pastry. Smooth down with a spatula. Pipe a ring of pistachio crème on top of this and sprinkle with praline. Top with choux ring tops. Dust with sifted icing sugar.