S'mores Paris-Brest!
 
Prep time
Cook time
Total time
 
This take on a Parisian classic, is a bit of Americana and nostalgia combined with a touch of elegance, but down to earth oh so good flavors. Perfect for your next fancy dinner party or pizza party!
Author:
Serves: 3 to 4
Ingredients
  • 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
Instructions
  1. Choux:
  2. Combine flour and sugar in small bowl, set aside.
  3. 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.
  4. 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.
  5. Cut 4 squares of parchment paper and set on a baking sheet.
  6. 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.
  7. Fill a large Dutch oven with canola oil, about three inches up from the bottom. Heat oil over medium high to 360 degrees.
  8. 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.
  9. Ganache:
  10. 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.
  11. For the meringue:
  12. Separate whites from yolks in the bowl of a stand mixer.
  13. Pour sugar and salt in the bowl of stand mixer with the egg whites.
  14. Place bowl over, not touching, a pot with simmering water.
  15. 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.
  16. Then return bowl to stand mixer fitted with a whisk attachment.
  17. 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.
  18. Assemble the Paris-Brest:
  19. 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.
  20. 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.
  21. Add more meringue on top, along with crumbled graham cracker. Toast the top of the meringue. Add the gold leaf.
  22. Store covered at room temp for a day or in the fridge for up to 2 days. Best served day of.
Recipe by Social Buttercream at http://socialbuttercream.com/2018/05/19/smores-paris-brest-a-little-fancy-with-some-campy/