La Chambre

Ingredients

125g of water (or half water/half milk for added moisture)
2g of salt
4g of sugar
50g of butter
75g of flour
110g of eggs

(You will likely have leftover choux pastry with these quantities, but using less ingredients would make the preparation more complicated. Choux pastry freezes well once baked, so you can use it later to make cream puffs or éclairs.)

VANILLA CREAM INGREDIENTS

100g of mascarpone
100g of heavy cream (35% fat)
20g of powdered sugar
1 vanilla bean

Instructions

In a saucepan, bring to a boil water, milk, salt, sugar, and butter. Once boiling vigorously (real big bubbles, not just a gentle simmer!), quickly add sifted flour off the heat, and vigorously mix. The resulting mixture, called the "panade," will be very thick initially.

Dry out this dough over very low heat until it forms a smooth ball. Your saucepan should be clean at this stage.

Transfer the dough to a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, and wait a few moments until there is almost no steam escaping from the mixer. (If mixing by hand, vigorously stir to release moisture from the dough.)

Add the eggs one at a time. Your choux pastry is ready when it is smooth, shiny, and forms a V shape at the end of the paddle. Be careful not to add too many eggs, or the pastry won't puff up in the oven. Conversely, if the dough is not hydrated enough, it will crack during baking.

Pipe rings of dough, 9cm in diameter, using a piping tip with an 8mm diameter.

Brush with egg wash and sprinkle with slivered almonds.

Bake at 200ºC for about 15 minutes, then finish baking with the oven door slightly ajar for the same duration. (These times are approximate; do not open the oven before the Paris-Brest are well golden and puffed, or they may deflate.)

ASSEMBLY

Cut the Paris-Brest in half.

Generously spread with Mango, Passion & Vanilla jam.

Pipe the cream on top.

Cover with the upper part previously dusted with powdered sugar.