
Paris Brest with Ice Cream
15 March 2017
Category
Dessert
Serves
4
Ingredients
For the Vanilla Ice Cream:
600ml double cream
600ml semi skimmed milk
90g caster sugar
1 level tsp super neutrose (sorbet stabiliser)
2.5 vanilla pods
seeds scraped
250g caster sugar
12 egg yolks
For the Paris Brest Choux Pastry:
260g plain flour
sifted
200g unsalted butter
diced
300ml water
300ml milk
10g caster sugar
340g free-range eggs
lightly beaten
2 pinches of table salt
Blanched hazelnuts
finely sliced
To glaze:
1 beaten egg
Pinch salt
1 tbsp water
Creme Patissiere (pastry cream):
4 egg yolks
75g caster sugar
Pinch of salt
20g cornflour
250ml milk
100ml double cream
half whipped
2 vanilla pods
seeds scraped
2 leaves of gelatine
soaked
For the raspberry gel:
500g raspberries
plus extra for garnish
50g caster sugar
8g agar agar
For the apricot coulis:
10 fresh apricots
(de-stoned) plus extra for garnish
150g caster sugar
Splash water
Juice of¼ lime
For the spun sugar garnish: Caster Sugar
Instructions
1To make the Vanilla Ice Cream:,Add the milk, cream, vanilla, 90g sugar and super neutrose into a large saucepan and bring to the boil
2In a clean bowl, whisk the 250g sugar and yolks until light and well combined
3Gradually pour over the hot milk mixture (allowing the eggs to temper), whisking continuously,Cool in a large gastro (roasting tray) in the fridge
4Once cool, transfer to an ice cream machine and churn until frozen
5To make the Choux Pastry:,Preheat the oven to 200C. Line a baking sheet with a silpat mat and prepare your piping bag with a 13-15mm nozzle
6Add the sugar, butter, milk and water into a saucepan and gently heat until all of the butter has melted
7Bring up to a boil and then, off the heat, shoot the flour into the pan in one go, beating to combine well and to form a smooth dough that leaves the side of the pan
8Return to the heat and continue to beat, cooking out the dough until it beings springy and glossy. Tip into a bowl and set aside to cool completely
9Once cooled, turn the mixture into a clean kitchen aid bowl with' a paddle attachment. Gradually start to add the lightly whisked egg into the dough, beating well between each addition. The mixture should become very glossy and you want a consistency that only just drops off your spoon so that it will hold its shape
10Transfer the dough into the prepared piping bag and then pipe 12-14 rings (7cm in diameter)
11Gently brush the piped rings of dough with your glaze and then sprinkle over the blanched hazelnut slices
12Bake in the oven for 8 minutes
13Reduce the oven temperature to 165C and cook for a further 18 minutes
14Remove from the oven and once cool enough to handle, carefully slice each ring into half across the centre/ belly. Set aside to cool on a wire rack
15To make the Creme Patisserie:,In a bowl combine the yolks, cornflour, sugar and salt. Whisk until light, fluffy and well combined
16Combine the milk and vanilla in a saucepan and bring to the boil. Gradually add to your egg mixture whisking continuously
17Transfer the mix into a clean pan and cook out on a medium heat until thick and glossy and you can't taste raw flour (this can take 5-10 minutes and you need to whisk/ beat continuously)
18Once cooked out, add the bloomed/ soaked gelatine and stir until completely dissolved through
19Leave to cool to room temperature and then finally fold through the half whipped cream
20Set to consistency in the fridge. Once set, transfer to a piping bag ready for serve
21To make the Raspberry Gel:,Add the raspberries and sugar to a pan with a splash of water and gently cook out to release all the juices (avoid stirring too much so that you finish with a lovely clear liquid)
22Gently pour the juice through a chinois (don't press down on the cooked raspberries)
23Add the agar to the raspberry juice and bring to 90C whisking continuously
24Pour onto a wide/ flat tray and leave to set
25Once set, transfer to a blender and blitz until smooth,To make the Apricot Coulis:,Chop the apricots into similar sized pieces
26Add to a pan with the sugar, water and lime juice and cook out, bringing to a simmer once the juices start to come out
27Cool and then blend to a very smooth consistency
28Pass through a chinois and transfer to a squeezy bottle for serve
29To make the Spun Sugar Garnish:,Heat the sugar in a pan and bring to a deep golden caramel
30Remove from the heat and then taking a spoon, dip into the hot caramel and carefully flick across baking parchment
31Leave to cool and then break into pieces
32To Serve:,Warm the Paris brest (choux pastry rings) in the oven at 180C for 3 minutes
33Remove from the oven and cool slightly - this should crisp them up
34Once cooled, pipe the pastry cream into the bottom half
35Top with the fresh apricot slices and fresh raspberries,Place the choux pastry lid on top and lightly dust with icing sugar
36Dress the apricot coulis onto the serving plate then carefully place the assembled Paris Brest
37Place a ball of the vanilla ice cream into the middle of the Paris Brest. Finish with the spun sugar garnish and then pipe raspberry gel onto the plate.