I was recently in Paris and was in awe and inspired by all the beautiful pastries and patisseries all over! I was in dessert heaven, they were all so beautiful and tasted as good as they looked! Like I said, I was struck with inspiration and admiration and wanted to try my hand at some French classics, but with a touch of Americana, nostalgia and whimsy!
What’s more American than S’mores, how about fried S’mores? I took the traditional Paris-Brest and kept the beauty and refinement but added the flavors of one of the quintessential American summer time treats and fried the pate a choux! Traditionally the choux pastry is baked, this versatile French dough is used in eclairs, cream-puffs, Paris-Brests and such. You could definitely still bake, would be delicious too, but I saw a recipe for a fried pate-choux and I thought since I was re-defining a classic, why not really go all out and deep fry it! Plus, it was a chance for me to try my hand at frying! I have never fried at home, it was fun! I was looking around my fridge to see what else I can throw in the fryer. 🙂 You will need a deep Dutch oven if you don’t own your own deep fryer. But who really does?? That could be trouble! You will also need a thermometer, I just got this one from Amazon and so far so good! Has a timer, digital display, a clip for the side of the pot and can go directly in the oven!
Any way, the choux pastry is very easy to prepare, doesn’t take long at all. For frying the choux pastry, just pipe your circles about three to four-inch rounds on squares of parchment paper, freeze for at least 30 minutes. I actually left them in the freezer overnight to make ahead. You can also make the meringue and ganache the day before too, stored in airtight container in the fridge. Then you just heat your oil to 360 degrees and carefully place your frozen choux circle in the oil with tongs, parchmnent side up until the paper detaches. Fry for about five minutes on each side or until golden brown. Here are what mine looked like.
You’ll need to let them cool about 10 minutes. Then you can slice in half with a serrated knife. From there you can pipe your meringue on the bottom half of the choux. Here’s where a kitchen torch comes in handy. I have one, but didn’t realize that mine didn’t come with the juice included! So I spent like 5 minutes trying to figure out why my torch wasn’t working! If I would have just paid attention to the giant block letters on the box that fuel is not included, I could have saved some time! Anyway, I had to broil mine to toast the meringue. Careful if you have to do this, you don’t want it to burn!
Once you get your meringue toasted, you can top with the other half of the choux. Then you carefully pour your chocolate ganache over the top and let it set for about 10 minutes. I decorated with crumbled graham crackers, more toasted meringue and duh, gold leaf! I mean you have to add a touch of elegance when re-making a classic!
Voila! You have yourself a beautiful French inspired classic that is perfect for your fancy dinner party or pizza party! First look you’ll be transported to a patisserie in Paris, first bite you’ll be transported to your youth around a campfire making s’mores! Only now, this all grown up version requires no bug spray!
Enjoy!
Diane
- Pate a Choux:
- Can be doubled
- ¾ cup all purpose flour
- 1¼ tbsp. granulated sugar
- ½ cup water
- ¼ cup unsalted butter
- ½ tsp. salt
- 2 large eggs room temp.
- Canola oil for frying
- Swiss Meringue:
- 7 egg whites
- 1 ½ cups sugar
- ½ tsp. salt
- Ganache:
- 4 oz. semi-sweet chocolate
- 4 oz. bitter-sweet chocolate
- 1 cup heavy cream
- 2 tsp. vanilla extract
- Garnish:
- Graham crackers for crumbling
- Edible gold leaf
- Choux:
- Combine flour and sugar in small bowl, set aside.
- Combine water, butter and salt in a small saucepan. Cook over medium heat and stir until butter is melted. Increase to medium-high and bring to a simmer. Remove from heat and stir flour mixture into butter mixture. Mix with a wooden spoon. Stir until it has a paste like texture and the mixture pulls away from the pan and bottom is clean. About 2 minutes, paste will have smooth, shiny texture.
- Transfer dough to a stand mixer fitted a paddle attachment and beat on low to cool, about 2 minutes. Add the eggs one at time and beat after each addition. Mix until dough pulls away from the sides.
- Cut 4 squares of parchment paper and set on a baking sheet.
- Fill a large pastry bag fitted with a large star tip with the choux. Pipe 3 to 4-inch circles on the parchment squares. Place in the freezer for 30 minutes or overnight.
- Fill a large Dutch oven with canola oil, about three inches up from the bottom. Heat oil over medium high to 360 degrees.
- Carefully place the choux rounds, parchment side up in the oil with tongs, remove detached parchment paper. Cook for about 5 minutes until golden brown, watch carefully, then flip and cook for an addition 4 to 5 minutes. Allow to cool on rack and excess oil to drain on grate or paper towel.
- Ganache:
- Chop the chocolate and place in a medium heat proof bowl. Pour the vanilla extract over the chocolate. Place the cream in small saucepan over medium heat and cook until cream comes to a simmer (not boiling, bubbling around the edges). Remove from heat and pour over chopped chocolate. Allow to sit for 3 to 4 minutes, then gently whisk to melt the chocolate. Allow to cool at room temp for about 10 minutes.
- For the meringue:
- Separate whites from yolks in the bowl of a stand mixer.
- Pour sugar and salt in the bowl of stand mixer with the egg whites.
- Place bowl over, not touching, a pot with simmering water.
- Whisk constantly until sugar has completely dissolved around 160 degrees. If you don’t have a candy thermometer, you can tell it’s done when you rub a little of the mixture between your fingers and it is completely smooth with no graininess. Should take about 10 minutes.
- Then return bowl to stand mixer fitted with a whisk attachment.
- Begin beating the eggs and sugar until whites are glossy and stiff peaks have formed. The bowl should be cool to the touch, this will take around 10 minutes.
- Assemble the Paris-Brest:
- With a serrated knife, carefully cut the choux in half. Pipe the meringue on the bottom half of the choux. If you have a blow torch, lightly toast the meringue. You can use the broiler if you don't have a torch. Watch them carefully if you broil.
- Once toasted to your liking, place the top half of the choux over the meringue. Add the ganache to pipping bag and just snip the corner off. Carefully pipe over the top of the choux to cover and drip down sides. Allow to set for 5 to 10 minutes.
- Add more meringue on top, along with crumbled graham cracker. Toast the top of the meringue. Add the gold leaf.
- Store covered at room temp for a day or in the fridge for up to 2 days. Best served day of.
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