PBP Prep Talk a Great Success

by Paul Kramer

Around 15 PBP2019-Aspirants came to the PBP Prep Talk yesterday held at the Clarion Hotel in Princeton. A seasoned team of Ancienes (including one Ancienne) spoke on a variety of topics, and videos* of these are available—simply click on the speakers' names.

Nigel Green gave a thorough (and thoroughly interesting) Introduction to PBP—its history, important personalities, milestones, and overall character.

George Swain continued the discussion with tips on Training, Qualifying, and Training some more. He stressed the importance of identifying your personal goals and personal weaknesses, and finding a training plan that helps you overcome the latter to achieve the former.

Chris Newman spoke twice—first, giving an overview on Choosing a Time Limit Group (80 vs 84 vs 90) and Start Time; she later took to the dais again to address the question of Food—What and Where.

Paul Shapiro offered advice—culled from much personal experience—on Making a Ride Plan to help you stay on track, and to keep you from getting overwhelmed as you become more and more sleep deprived.

Jon Levitt offered suggestions on Getting There (and Staying There) With Your Bike, including tips on packing your bike box and suitcase.

Joe Kratovil passed on what he's learned from two starts at PBP to give the audience a fantastic guide to What to Bring on the Bike and also shared his wisdom on the subject of Sleep.

Big Thanks to all the presenters!

​For those of you who were unable to attend, and must settle instead for my amateur videos—sorry we missed you! And as a next-best-thing-to-being-there consolation for missing the French-themed lunch, here is the recipe I used for the dessert--the classic French Paris-Brest pastry "in the form of a wheel...created in 1910 by Louis Durand, pâtissier of Maisons-Laffitte, at the request of Pierre Giffard, to commemorate the Paris–Brest–Paris bicycle race he had initiated in 1891." [wikipedia]

​Cooks' notes:

• Praline and praline "butter" can be made 2 days ahead. Chill butter in an airtight container and keep remaining praline in an airtight container at room temperature.
• Pastry cream (without praline "butter" or whipped cream) can be chilled, its surface covered with wax paper and bowl covered with plastic wrap, up to 2 days.
• Choux ring can be baked (but not halved) 8 hours ahead and cooled completely, uncovered, then kept, loosely covered with foil (not plastic wrap), at room temperature. Cooled choux ring can also be frozen, tightly wrapped in plastic wrap, 1 week. Thaw completely in wrapping before recrisping in a preheated 350°F oven 10 minutes. Cool to room temperature before proceeding.
• Cream filling can be chilled up to 4 hours.
• Paris-Brest can be assembled 2 hours before serving and kept at cool room temperature.

YIELD: Makes 10 to 12 servings
ACTIVE TIME: 1 1/2 hr
TOTAL TIME: 3 1/2 hr

INGREDIENTS
For praline

• 1 cup hazelnuts
• 1/4 cup sliced almonds (3/4 oz)
• 1/2 cup granulated sugar

For cream filling

• 1 cup whole milk
• 3 large egg yolks
• 1/3 cup granulated sugar
• 3 tablespoons cornstarch
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
• 1/2 teaspoon vanilla
• 3/4 cup chilled heavy cream

For choux pastry

• 1 cup water
• 1 stick (1/2 cup) unsalted butter, cut into 1/2-inch cubes
• 1 teaspoon granulated sugar
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1 cup all-purpose flour
• 4 whole large eggs
• 1 large egg yolk, lightly beaten with 1 tablespoon water
• 3 tablespoons sliced almonds
• 1 tablespoon confectioners sugar plus additional for dusting

Special Equipment

• a pastry bag; a 5/8-inch plain tip; a 1/2-inch open-star tip (or you can use a couple gallon-size ziplock bags)
• food processor
• electric mixer
• wide parchment paper

PREPARATION

Make praline:

• Put oven rack in middle position and preheat oven to 350°F.
• Toast hazelnuts in a shallow baking pan in oven until skins split and nuts are golden, 10 to 15 minutes. Remove from oven (leave oven on), then wrap hazelnuts in a kitchen towel and let steam 5 to 10 minutes. Rub hazelnuts in towel to remove loose skins (some skins may not come off), then transfer hazelnuts to a small bowl, discarding skins. While hazelnuts steam, toast almonds in baking pan until golden, 5 to 8 minutes, then add to bowl with hazelnuts. Lightly grease pan and set aside.
• Cook sugar in a dry small heavy skillet over moderate heat, swirling skillet, until sugar begins to melt, about 2 minutes. Continue to cook, swirling skillet, until sugar is melted into a deep golden caramel, 2 to 3 minutes more. Remove from heat and, working quickly, stir in nuts to coat, then transfer mixture to greased baking pan, spreading slightly. Let stand at room temperature until hardened and cool, about 30 minutes.
• Transfer praline to a heavy-duty sealable plastic bag and seal bag, pressing out excess air. Coarsely crush praline in bag using a rolling pin or bottom of a heavy skillet, then transfer three fourths to a food processor and purée until it becomes a smooth, creamy "butter," 3 to 4 minutes. Reserve remaining crushed praline for garnish.

Make cream filling:

• Bring milk to a simmer in a 2 1/2- to 3-quart heavy saucepan over moderate heat. While milk heats, whisk together yolks, sugar, cornstarch, and salt in a heatproof bowl.
• Add hot milk to yolk mixture in a stream, whisking, then transfer mixture to saucepan and bring to a simmer over moderate heat, whisking (mixture will become thick and lumpy). Simmer, whisking constantly, 3 minutes (mixture will become smooth). Remove from heat and stir in butter and vanilla. Transfer to a clean bowl and chill pastry cream, its surface covered with wax paper, until cold, at least 1 hour.
• Beat heavy cream in a bowl with an electric mixer until it just holds stiff peaks. Beat pastry cream in a large bowl with mixer until smooth, then add praline "butter" and beat until incorporated. Fold in whipped cream, one third at a time, gently but thoroughly, then cover surface of hazelnut cream with wax paper and chill until ready to use.

Make choux pastry:

• Put oven rack in middle position and preheat oven to 425°F. Trace a 9-inch circle with a pencil on a 12-inch square of parchment or wax paper, then trace a 5-inch circle inside it. Turn paper over (circles will still be visible) and put on a large baking sheet.
• Bring water to a boil with butter, granulated sugar, and salt in a 3-quart heavy saucepan over high heat, then reduce heat to moderate. Add flour all at once and cook, stirring vigorously with a wooden spoon, until mixture pulls away from side of pan, about 1 minute. Continue to cook and stir vigorously (to dry out mixture) 3 minutes more. Remove pan from heat and cool mixture, stirring occasionally, until warm to the touch, 5 to 10 minutes. Add whole eggs 1 at a time, stirring vigorously after each addition until dough is smooth.
• Transfer dough to pastry bag fitted with plain tip and pipe 3 concentric rings to fill space between traced circles on parchment, then pipe 2 more on top to cover seams between bottom rings. Lightly brush pastry with some egg wash, then scatter almonds over pastry and dust with 1 tablespoon confectioners sugar.
• Bake choux pastry until golden and well puffed, 20 to 25 minutes, then reduce oven temperature to 375°F and continue to bake until deep golden and firm to the touch, about 25 minutes more. Immediately prick top of pastry in 8 to 10 places with tip of a small sharp knife (to release steam) and continue to bake until golden brown, about 10 minutes more. Transfer pastry (on parchment) to a rack and cool completely, about 30 minutes.

Halve pastry horizontally with a serrated knife and carefully invert top onto work surface. Remove and discard any wet dough from interior of top and bottom. Transfer hazelnut cream to cleaned and dried pastry bag fitted with star tip and pipe cream decoratively into bottom half of pastry, then carefully reinvert top half over it. Sprinkle top with reserved praline and dust with additional confectioners sugar.

ENJOY!

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*NOTE: These videos were shot very unprofessionally (by me), holding an iPhone in shaky hands. I apologize for the poor production value, but the content is what's key!