This classic French dessert was created in honor of the Paris-Brest bicycle race, the circular shape of the dessert representing a wheel. It is a ring of choux pastry topped with almonds and filled with a praline-flavored buttercream. We can think of nothing but good things to say about such a dessert.

Preheat the oven to 400°F. Line a large baking sheet with parchment paper. Draw an 8-inch circle on the parchment paper and flip it over.

Prepare:

Scoope the paste into a pastry bag fitted with a ¾-inch star or plain tip. Pipe a ring of choux paste onto the parchment paper along the circle, then pipe another ring just inside the first. The two rings should touch so they fuse together during baking. Pipe a third ring on top of the first two, along the seam made where the first two rings meet. Brush with:

Sprinkle generously with:

Bake for 15 minutes. Reduce the oven temperature to 350°F and bake until golden and puffed, about 20 minutes more. Transfer to a rack to cool completely.

While the pastry cools, prepare:

With a serrated knife, slice the choux pastry ring horizontally in half like you would a cake layer. Transfer the pastry cream to a piping bag fitted with a ¾-inch star tip. Pipe the filling in a decorative pattern on the bottom ring of choux pastry. Place the top ring on top of the filling and dust with:

Serve immediately or refrigerate, covered, for up to 1 day. Allow the dessert to sit at room temperature for 30 minutes before serving.