Pastry Chef

For the Choux Pastry: 1/2 cup of water 1/2 cup of whole milk 1/2 cup of unsalted butter 1 teaspoon of sugar 1/4 teaspoon of salt 1 cup of all-purpose flour 4 large eggs For the Pastry Cream: 2 cups of whole milk 1/2 cup of sugar 1/4 cup of cornstarch 3 large egg yolks 2 teaspoons of vanilla extract 1/4 cup of unsalted butter For the Assembly: 1/2 cup of sliced almonds 1 cup of heavy cream 1 tablespoon of powdered sugar Instructions: Preheat your oven to 400°F (200°C). Line a baking sheet with parchment paper. In a saucepan, bring the water, milk, butter, sugar, and salt to a boil. Reduce heat to medium and add the flour all at once. Stir until a smooth dough forms and pulls away from the sides of the pan. Remove the pan from heat and let it cool for 5 minutes. Add the eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition until the dough is smooth and shiny. Transfer the dough to a pastry bag fitted with a large round tip. Pipe a large circle onto the prepared baking sheet, then pipe a smaller circle on top of the larger one, creating a ring. Sprinkle the sliced almonds on top of the pastry ring. Bake for 25-30 minutes or until golden brown and puffed. Remove from the oven and let cool completely before slicing in half horizontally. To make the pastry cream, heat the milk in a saucepan until just below boiling. In a separate bowl, whisk together the sugar, cornstarch, and egg yolks until light and creamy. Gradually pour the hot milk into the egg mixture, whisking constantly. Return the mixture to the saucepan and cook over medium heat, whisking constantly, until the mixture thickens and comes to a boil. Remove from heat and stir in the vanilla extract and butter until melted and smooth. Allow the pastry cream to cool before spreading it on the bottom half of the pastry. In a separate bowl, beat the heavy cream and powdered sugar until stiff peaks form. Spread it on top of the pastry cream. Top with the other half of the pastry and serve immediately. Pairing suggestion: The Paris-Brest pairs perfectly with a strong coffee or a rich hot chocolate. You could also serve it with a scoop of vanilla ice cream for an extra special treat. Enjoy!