Valay-Brest
A Valay-Brest is a mini eclair, filled with apple-flavoured confectioner's custard and topped with a rectangle of walnut nougatine.
82 K 4.2/5 (20 reviews)
1 hour 30 min.
Average
24 pieces
5 IngredientsLast modified on: May 14th 2014
For 24 pieces, you will need:
- 1
1 1⁄3 cup choux pastry (pâte à choux) - 2
1 cup apple confectioner's custard - 3
¼ cup walnut kernels - 4
2⁄3 cup caster sugar - 5
3 tablespoons water (optional)
Change measures:
Times for this recipe
Preparation: 60 min.
Cooking: 30 min.
All in all: 1 hour 30 min.
If you start now, at , you will finish around : ?.Change start time
To finish around 7pm, you'll need to have started before: .Change end time
Step by step recipe
Stage 1 - 20 min.
Preheat the oven to 360°F (180°C).
Prepare 1 1⁄3 cup choux pastry (pâte à choux) and pipe the eclairs about 5-6 cm (2 inches) long using a forcing bag with a ridged nozzle, if possible.
Prepare 1 1⁄3 cup choux pastry (pâte à choux) and pipe the eclairs about 5-6 cm (2 inches) long using a forcing bag with a ridged nozzle, if possible.
Stage 2 - 15 min.
Bake the mini eclairs.
Stage 3 - 5 min.
When cold, cut in half lengthways.
Stage 4 - 5 min.
Fill each "bottom" with apple-flavoured confectioner's custard.
Stage 5 - 5 min.
Replace the "lid".
Fill all the eclairs like this and put to wait in the fridge.
Fill all the eclairs like this and put to wait in the fridge.
Stage 6 - 5 min.
Prepare the walnut nougatine: preheat the oven to 300°F (150°C). Spread ¼ cup walnut kernels on a baking sheet and toast for 5 minutes in the oven.
Stage 7 - 5 min.
When cooled, use a blender to grind the toasted walnuts to a powder.
Stage 8 - 10 min.
Stage 9 - 1 min.
Tip the ground walnuts into the caramel...
Stage 10 - 1 min.
...and mix thoroughly.
Now you need to work as quickly as possible, because the nougatine will set rapidly as it cools.
Now you need to work as quickly as possible, because the nougatine will set rapidly as it cools.
Stage 11 - 1 min.
Pour the nougatine out onto a sheet of cooking parchment.
Stage 12 - 3 min.
Lay a second sheet on top and roll the nougatine out as thinly as possible with a rolling pin.
Stage 13 - 2 min.
Use a large knife to cut the nougatine, or at least score it, into strips about 1 cm (0.3 inch) wide.
Stage 14 - 5 min.
When cooled, cut the strips apart.
Stage 15 - 5 min.
Stick these onto the tops of the eclairs with a little confectioner's custard.
Refrigerate until needed, but do not serve too cold.
Refrigerate until needed, but do not serve too cold.
Remarks
It is not essential for the nougatine to be a rectangle exactly the size and shape of the eclair. On the contrary, the "deconstructed" look with pieces laid side by side can be attractive.
Some recipes insist that the caramel for the nougatine should be made "dry", i.e. without added water, but I don't think this is essential.
Some recipes insist that the caramel for the nougatine should be made "dry", i.e. without added water, but I don't think this is essential.
Keeping: An hour or two, not much longer.
Source: Home made.
Nutritional information
| Proteins (gr) | Carbohydrates (gr) | Fats (gr) | Energy value (in k-calories) | Energy value (in k-joules) | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Whole recipe | 110 RDI=40 % | 650 RDI=60 % | 360 RDI=50 % | 2,730 RDI=140 % | 11,430 RDI: 140 % |
| Per 100 g | 20 RDI=6 % | 90 RDI=9 % | 50 RDI=8 % | 390 RDI=20 % | 1,630 RDI: 20 % |
| Per piece | 4 RDI=2 % | 30 RDI=3 % | 10 RDI=2 % | 110 RDI=6 % | 480 RDI: 6 % |
How much will it cost?
- For 24 pieces : 3.15 €
- Per piece : 0.15 €
Change currency: 
Note: Be careful, these prices are only an estimate, you can consult the table of prices by ingredients used for this estimate.
This recipe uses (among others)
Choux pastry (pâte à choux)
You can get more informations, or check-out other recipes which use it, for example: Puits d'amour, Gougères, Mini Mont-Blanc choux puffs, Profiteroles, Paris-Brest, ... See them all 8
Apple confectioner's custard
You can get more informations, or check-out other recipes which use it, for example:
Caster sugar
Like these other recipes: Crème brulée, Vanilla ice cream, Clementine cake, Chocolate mug cake, Chocolate eclairs, ... See them all 361
Walnut kernels
Like these other recipes: Baked Camembert with Walnuts, Moist cereal bars, Apple Strudel, Cookies of the Camisards, Endive and walnut salad, ... See them all 20
Other recipes you may also like
French croissants
In this famous and highly technical recipe from a piece of yeast-based flaky dough we are going to cut and shape ("roll") croissants. June 26th 2019641 K 24.4 2 hours 35 min.
Don't add a stock cube whole
If you add a stock cube to a recipe, it's much better to not add it whole, because it will take a long time to dissolve. February 21th 2011143 K5 2 min.
Stewed apricots
Here is how to make delicious stewed apricots, both an easy and a more sophisticated way. July 12th 2023810 K 143.5 1 hour 20 min.
When to add salt to cooking water?
Is it better to salt cooking water, for vegetables for example, at the beginning when it is cold or when it boils? I always heard that one should salt "after", when water is boiling, because if it is salted "before" it will take longer to boil. True or false? Let's try the experiment... July 25th 2017150 K4 15 min.
Beetroot and cream cheese verrines
Diced beetroot, marinated in lemon juice and walnut oil, between layers of cream cheese with herbs. May 29th 2013119 K5 2 hours 50 min.
News list of cooking-ez.com
Sign up to receive the latest recipes (next batch due to be sent on 2025-09-21)
Note: We'll never share your e-mail address with anyone else.
Post a comment or question
Follow this recipe
If you are interested in this recipe, you can "follow" it, by entering your email address here. You will then receive a notification immediately each time the recipe is modified or a new comment is added. Please note that you will need to confirm this following.
Note: We'll never share your e-mail address with anyone else.
Alternatively: you can subscribe to the mailing list of cooling-ez.com , you will receive a e-mail for each new recipe published on the site.