By Keighley’s Mike Armstrong, an award-winning master baker with a big passion for baking...

WHO could resist a Paris-Brest?

A gourmet creation par excellence, few sweet-toothed people would turn their nose up at this French flagship pastry.

The Paris-Brest was created in 1910 and has delighted tastebuds ever since, but who was the inventor? It remains uncertain, but it was probably a creation in tribute to the famous gruelling 750-mile bicycle race of the same name – with competitors having the goal of making it back within 90 hours. Many riders slept as little as possible, sometimes catching a few minutes beside the road before continuing.

The pastry became popular with participants, partly to commemorate the race and partly because of its energy-boosting high calorific values. In fact, it's not for nothing that all the pastry chefs involved in making a claim to this pastry are on the Paris-Brest route.

The shape of this pastry represents a cyclist's wheel. Traditionally, it is made from a choux pastry crowned with praline cream in the middle, symbolising the cyclists' journey through the Breton countryside, with a sprinkling of flaked almonds.

Over the years, Paris-Brest cake has undergone numerous creative variations and innovations, each one adding a unique twist to the classic recipe. One popular variation is the addition of fruit, such as strawberries, raspberries or peaches, to the praline cream filling – which is a cream made with almond flavouring. This adds a burst of freshness and colour to the dessert, whilst still retaining the traditional flavour profile.

More recently, pastry chefs have experimented with savoury versions, using ingredients such as smoked salmon, cream cheese and dill. These innovative twists on the classic dessert have been embraced by food enthusiasts, who appreciate the creativity and boldness of the variations – I do wonder if our Yorkshire Wensleydale cheese would ride well on this bike wheel?

The Paris-Brest has been described as a ''glorified doughnut''. Although it bears some similarities to the doughnut, the Paris-Brest is not sweet like these pastries but has a more subtle taste.

The bicycle race was the precursor of the Tour de France, whose Grand Depart famously came through our town – and on TV cut to an advert – in 2014. So let's make tracks again, turn a wheel and have a go at this easy Paris-Brest recipe.

RECIPE

PARIS-BREST STRAWBERRY RING

Ingredients:
50g/2oz butter, cubed
150ml/5fl oz water
65g/2.5fl oz flour
2 eggs, beaten
300ml tub of double cream, whisked to soft peak
Small punnet of fresh strawberries
Handful of flaked almonds
Dusting of icing sugar

Method:
1. Place the butter and water into a pan and slowly melt the butter and bring to the boil, remove from the heat.
2. Stir in the flour and beat well until it forms a soft ball, cool for a few minutes before adding the beaten eggs a little at a time – beating well between each addition – until you have a smooth pipeable paste.
3. Spoon the mixture into a piping bag with a large plain or star nozzle. Pipe the mixture into one 8’’/21cm circle with a second by its side inside and a third circle on top between the seam on a parchment-lined template baking tray.
4. Sprinkle over the flaked almonds and bake in a preheated oven at 200C/180C fan/Gas Mark 6 for about 25 minutes until well risen, crisp and hollow when tapped.
5. Allow to cool before cutting in half and filling with sliced strawberries and fresh cream.
6. Place the lid back on top and dust with icing sugar before serving.