Paris Brest with a strawberry creme chantilly filling

We thought we would start sharing a few different desserts that you may not have ever tasted or even heard of before! This first French delicacy, the Paris Brest, is named for a bike race in France which went between Paris and Brest. It is traditionally made with almond topped pate a choux and filled with praline flavored cream. But we wanted to put a little summer twist on it and filled the pate a choux with a luscious strawberry creme chantilly! This would be a perfect dessert to share at a summer dinner party.

Pate a Choux 

{recipe for pate a choux via here}
1 Cup water
6 Tablespoons butter
1 Tablespoon sugar plus 1/8 teaspoon salt
5 3/4 ounces flour {about a cup}
1 Cup eggs {about 4 large eggs and 2 egg whites}

Preheat oven to 425 degrees F
Line cookie sheets with parchment paper and take a 2" cookie cutter dip into flour and tap on
cookie sheet just to mark where you will pipe your pate a choux.
Fit a large star tip into your pipping bag.
Boil water, butter, and salt or sugar
Add flour and remove from heat. Work mixture together and return to heat.
Continue working the mixture until all flour is incorporated and dough forms a ball.
Transfer mixture into bowl of a standing mixer and let cool for 3 or 4 minutes.
With mixer on stir or lowest speed add eggs, 1 at a time, making sure the first egg is completely incorporated before continuing. Once all eggs have been added and the mixture is smooth put dough into piping bag fitted with a round tip.
Pipe immediately, tracing the flour into a donut shape. {There will be a hole in the center}
Pipe immediately into golfball-size shapes, 2 inches apart onto parchment lined sheet pans. Cook for 10 minutes, then turn the oven down to 350 degrees F and bake for 10 more minutes or until golden brown. Once they are removed from the oven pierce with a paring knife immediately to release steam. {Once they have cooled completely you can fill them with the creme chantilly}

Strawberry Creme Chantilly 
2 Cups whipping cream {very cold}
3-4 Tablespoons powdered sugar {depending on how sweet you want it}
1/2 Teaspoons pure vanilla extract
1 pint strawberries finely chopped

Start whipping the cream, add sugar and vanilla until soft peaks form.
Add strawberries just to incorporate. Do not over-mix or you will make butter ;)

Take your pate a choux a cut in half {horizontally}
Fill your strawberry creme chantilly into a pipping bag fitted with a large star tip and
fill the outer edges of your pate a choux. Sprinkle with powdered sugar and serve!