At the end of the 19th century, a bicycle race was instrumental in the invention of a humble French pastry called the Paris-Brest, named for the race’s destination and its kickoff point, respectively. The dessert, made from wheels of pâte à choux split in half and filled with hazelnut praline cream, is allegedly designed to look like a bike wheel, each dollop of cream an individual spoke.
But lately, the pastry has been wheeling its way a little bit farther than Paris, all the way to upscale French restaurants and pâtissieres in New York and LA. And as happens when any dessert trend gets off and running, everyone is trying out their own unique version of it. In this Tastemade video, you’ll learn how to make three different versions of the cake: a mini version for when you want it all to yourself, a larger traditional version for sharing, and, of course, a cupcake version.
Looking for some more delicious French desserts that might soon get their own hashtag? Check out Frenchly’s Ultimate Guide To French Pastries.
