Paris-Brest – Classic French Patisserie, cooked in the Air Fryer

Paris-Brest, In the Air Fryer
This classic French dessert combines crisp choux pastry, silky praline cream, and toasted almonds in a show-stopping ring. Originally created to celebrate a cycling race from Paris to Brest, it’s as elegant as it is delicious — and perfect for a dinner party or weekend baking project.

Serves: 4 
Prep time: 45 minutes (plus cooling)
Cook time: 50 minutes
Total time: 1 hr 35 minutes
Special Equipment: Piping bag, food processor

This is a halved version of the traditional recipe — perfect for testing or a smaller crowd. The choux pastry is light and crisp, the hazelnut praline adds deep, nutty sweetness, and it all comes together into a beautifully layered dessert.

📝 Ingredients

For the Choux Pastry:

• 56g strong white flour

• 40ml water

• 30ml whole milk

• Pinch of table salt

• Pinch of caster sugar

• 27g unsalted butter

• 1½ medium eggs (about 75g), lightly beaten

• ½ medium egg, for egg wash (beat 1 egg and use half)

• Small handful flaked almonds

For the Hazelnut Praline:

• 100g caster sugar

• 50g blanched hazelnuts

The Filling: (you can use whatever variation you like) 

• 250g mascarpone
• 3 tablespoons of natural greek youghurt
• 300ml double cream

Method

1. Make the Choux Pastry
Add the water, milk, butter, sugar, and salt to a small saucepan. Bring to a gentle boil over medium heat. Once bubbling, remove from the heat and stir in the flour all at once. Return to the heat and cook for 1–2 minutes, stirring constantly, until the dough pulls away from the sides and forms a ball.

2. Cool and Add Eggs
Let the dough cool for 5–10 minutes. Gradually add the beaten egg a little at a time, stirring well until the mixture is glossy and holds a ‘V’ shape when lifted with a spoon. You may not need all the egg — go slowly.

3. Pipe the Choux Ring
Using a piping bag fitted with a large round nozzle, pipe out 4 small rings, Brush with the egg wash and sprinkle with flaked almonds.

4. Bake
Bake at 180c for 15 minutes or until golden brown and crisp.Then turn them over for 5 minutes to make sure the bottom was completely crisp to. Cool completely before filling.

5. Make the Praline
Toast the hazelnuts in the air fryer at 170c for 8 minutes until golden, then remove the skins. Pour them onto a tea towel and move it around. Heat the caster sugar gently on the stove until it melts and turns amber — don’t stir, just swirl the pan occasionally. Once caramelised, add the hazelnuts in, swirl around and once they are all coated, pour onto baking paper to set. Once cool, blitz in a food processor. Be careful you do not want it to fine!

6. Make the Praline Cream

Whisk up whatever cream variation you like. I used 250g of mascarpone and the thick greek youghurt and then added in 2 tablespoons of the blitzed praline. But you can just use double cream and whisk it up. This is all about personal preferance.

7. Assemble
Slice the choux ring in half horizontally. Sprinkle plenty of praline on the bottom. Pipe the cream in, then sprinkle more praline on top of that and then place on the lid. Dust with icing sugar before serving.

Enjoy 

Del 

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