The Laminated Luxury Series — No. 4 of 8
The Paris-Brest was created in 1910 to celebrate a bicycle race between Paris and Brest. Its ring shape echoes a wheel. This version abandons the traditional praline filling in favour of something darker — a black sesame praline cream with a depth and nuttiness that makes the original feel one-dimensional.
The pastry itself is a hybrid: choux dough piped over a laminated croissant base, baked together until the exterior shatters and the interior yields. A charcoal glaze seals it. Silver dust finishes it. This is the series at its most architectural.
Chef’s Note
Black sesame paste is not the same as tahini. It is roasted until deeply nutty, almost bitter, with an earthiness that pairs beautifully with the richness of the praline cream. Source a quality paste — the difference between a good black sesame paste and a poor one is significant. If making your own, toast the seeds until fragrant and blend with a neutral oil until smooth.
The charcoal glaze is activated charcoal mixed into a mirror glaze base. It has no flavour impact — it exists purely for the visual drama of the near-black surface against the silver dust.
Ingredients
The Croissant Base
- 500g strong bread flour
- 10g fine sea salt
- 80g caster sugar
- 10g instant yeast
- 300ml whole milk, cold
- 30g unsalted butter, softened
- 280g European-style unsalted butter (84% fat), cold — for lamination
Black Sesame Praline Cream
- 120g black sesame paste
- 80g praline paste (hazelnut or almond)
- 400ml whole milk
- 4 egg yolks
- 100g caster sugar
- 35g cornflour
- 30g unsalted butter, cold
- 250ml double cream, whipped to soft peaks
Charcoal Glaze & Finish
- 150g dark mirror glaze
- 1 tsp activated charcoal powder
- 1 egg yolk + 1 tbsp cream (egg wash)
- Edible silver dust
- Black sesame seeds, for topping
Method
Laminate the dough over two days using three double folds. Roll to 4mm and cut rings using 14cm and 5cm cutters. Proof at 24°C for 2 hours, brush with egg wash and scatter black sesame seeds, then bake at 190°C (fan) for 18–20 minutes. Cool completely. Make the black sesame praline cream by combining a standard pastry cream base with sesame and praline pastes, then folding in whipped cream once cold. Apply charcoal glaze at 35°C. Split rings, pipe cream generously, replace tops, and finish with silver dust.
The Laminated Luxury Series
← No. 3 — Saffron & Honey Kouign-Amann | You are reading No. 4 — Black Sesame Paris-Brest
Next: No. 5 — Rose & Lychee Croissant Tart →
🖤 Want All 8 Recipes in One Place?
The complete Laminated Luxury Series — all 8 Michelin-level croissant recipes, technique notes, plating guides, and photography direction — is available as a premium recipe collection in our shop.
