Paris, to create a pastry shaped like a bicycle wheel that would be named for the race Some say that the ring shape also represents the head wreath that Greek athletes wore after a victory BEFORE YOU BEGIN >> Get out the following equipment and allow all of the ingredients to come to room temperature: Digital scale, set to metric weights Equipment for Pâte à Choux Equipment for Pastry Cream 1 pastry bag fitted with a ½-inch star tip 1 pastry brush KitchenAid or stand mixer fitted with the whisk attachment 1 rubber spatula 1 serrated knife >> Read this recipe through twice from start to finish UNDERSTANDING INGREDIENTS Because of its ring shape, the Paris-Brest does not crack open during baking The shape allows the water in the pâte à choux to evaporate in all directions when the piped rings are placed in the hot oven, and this helps the pastry maintain its shape and look By contrast, a cream puff is piped in a dome shape, which means that there is a concentration of an inch or more of pâte à choux in one place When cream puffs bake, a lot of water will evaporate from the same place and cause the puffs to crack open ... crack open during baking The shape allows the water in the pâte à choux to evaporate in all directions when the piped rings are placed in the hot oven, and this helps the pastry maintain its shape... dome shape, which means that there is a concentration of an inch or more of pâte à choux in one place When cream puffs bake, a lot of water will evaporate from the same place and cause the puffs to crack open... allow all of the ingredients to come to room temperature: Digital scale, set to metric weights Equipment for Pâte à Choux Equipment for Pastry Cream 1 pastry bag fitted with a ½-inch star tip 1 pastry brush