CHOUX CROWN

A triumphant cheese pastry that’s sure to be a recipe you turn to time and time again.

Hands-on time 35min, plus cooling. Cooking time about 45min. Serves 4 as a main, or 8 as a side

60g (2½oz) butter, chilled and cut into small cubes, plus extra to grease 100g (3½oz) plain flour 3 large eggs ¾tsp English mustard powder 50g (2oz) Gruyère cheese, grated (see GH Tip) Poppy seeds, to sprinkle

FOR THE FILLING

25g (1oz) butter 2 large shallots, finely sliced 375g (13oz) chestnut mushrooms, sliced 75ml (3fl oz) dry sherry, optional (see GH Tip) 100g (3½oz) crème fraîche 125ml (4fl oz) double cream Large handful parsley, finely chopped Finely grated zest ½ lemon 50g (2oz) watercress, roughly chopped 15g (½oz) dried cranberries, chopped

1 Preheat oven to 200°C (180°C fan) mark 6 and grease a large baking sheet. Put butter and 200ml (7fl oz) cold water into a medium pan. Make sure your flour is weighed out, and 2 of the eggs are beaten together in a jug. Heat butter mixture, stirring with a wooden spoon to melt. Turn up the heat and, as soon as mixture comes to the boil, take pan off heat, add flour in one go and beat with a wooden spoon until mixture comes away from the sides of the pan and is glossy – about 30sec. Set aside to cool for 10min.

2 Gradually mix in the beaten eggs, mixing well after each addition. Next add the mustard powder, cheese and some seasoning. Mix to combine. Scrape mixture into a piping bag fitted with a 1cm (½in) plain nozzle. On to the prepared sheet, pipe a 20.5cm (8in) circle, squeezing out plenty of mixture so the ring is about 2cm (¾in) wide and 2cm (¾in) deep. With remaining mixture, pipe 8 small mounds on top of the ring, spacing evenly apart (to resemble a crown). Using a damp finger, smooth the ring and mounds. Lightly beat remaining egg and use some to brush over ring and mounds. Sprinkle over poppy seeds.

3 Cook for 30min until well risen and deeply golden. Carefully remove baking sheet and pierce a few steam holes into the sides of the ring. Return to oven for 10min.

4 Meanwhile, make the filling. Melt butter in a large frying pan and gently cook shallots for 5min to soften. Turn up heat to high and add mushrooms. Fry, stirring occasionally, until tender and there’s no liquid left in pan. Add sherry, if using, and bubble until pan is again almost dry. Stir in crème fraîche and double cream and bubble to thicken – about 5min.

5 Transfer warm choux ring to a cake stand or board. Carefully slice off top third. Mix parsley, lemon zest and watercress though mushroom mixture and check seasoning. Spoon filling into base layer of ring and sprinkle over cranberries. Top with remaining choux layer and serve.

PER SERVING (for 4) 681cals, 17g protein, 54g fat (32g saturates), 25g carbs (5g total sugars), 4g fibre

GET AHEAD Prepare to end of step 4 up to 3hr ahead. Leave choux ring on baking sheet. Cool mushroom mixture, transfer to a bowl, cover and chill. To serve, reheat ring in an oven preheated to 180°C (160°C fan) mark 4 for 5min. Reheat filling in pan and complete step 5.

GH TIP If cooking for vegetarians, check the sherry and Gruyère are suitable. You can replace these with an approved Madeira and grated hard cheese.