Chocolate Pistachio Gorgeous Garland

Ingredients (Serves 10-12)

150g plain flour

120g butter, chopped

4 medium eggs, beaten

330g white chocolate

400ml double cream

400g ready-to-roll white icing

1tsp natural almond extract

Green food colour gel

50g milk chocolate

15g chopped pistachio nuts

Icing leaves, berries and snowflakes, and edible gold glitter to decorate

Preheat oven to 220°C (200°C fan oven, gas 7). Line 2 large baking trays with parchment. Sift flour into a small bowl. Put 300ml water in a saucepan, add butter and heat until boiling.

Remove from the heat and immediately add flour. Beat well until the mixture forms a smooth ball. Transfer to a heatproof bowl and cool for 10min. Gradually whisk in the eggs to form a pipeable mixture. Spoon into to a large piping bag with a 1cm diameter plain nozzle and pipe 36 x 4cm diameter mounds, about 5cm apar t on the trays. Bake for 10min, reduce the heat to 190°C (170°C fan oven, gas 5) and cook for 20-25min more until puffed up and crisp. Carefully puncture a 3cm wide slit in the side of each bun and cool.

Break up the white chocolate into a heatproof bowl. Place over a saucepan of barely simmering water to melt. Cool for 10min.

Whip the cream until just peaking. Add melted chocolate and whisk until firm enough to pipe. Spoon into a piping bag fitted with a 1cm diameter plain nozzle. Pipe sufficient cream into each choux bun to fill them.

Chop the white icing and put in a saucepan with 4tsp water.

Heat gently until melted. Stir in the almond extract and green colouring. Spread neatly over the top of each bun – gently reheat the green icing if it sets quickly.

Melt the milk chocolate as above and drizzle over each bun, then scatter with the pistachios. To ser ve, arrange the buns on a large board or platter in the shape of a garland. Decorate and spray with glitter. Ser ve within 30min to enjoy the pastr y crisp.