Christmas Eclair Wreath Recipe

This Christmas eclair wreath is a dessert with the wow-factor that's perfect for your Christmas day table. You need to eat this dessert as soon as it's constructed, as you don't want the choux pastry to become wet, and also the cream on the inside is beaten and very light and fluffy and if you leave it too long, it will become runny.

This is the perfect Christmas dessert for when you're expecting guests as it serves 8-10 which means there will be more than enough to go around for a big group. Make this indulgent chocolate wreath for Christmas lunch - prepare it ahead and simply assemble.

HOW TO MAKE A CHRISTMAS ECLAIR WREATH

Ingredients

• 85g butter, cut into small cubes
• 95g strong bread flour, sifted
• 2 eggs, beaten
• 1tsp caster sugar

For the filling:

• 300ml double cream
• 50g dark chocolate
• 50g white chocolate
• 25g chopped pistachios
• 25g dried cranberries

Method

1. Heat the oven to 180C fan, gas 6. Put a small dish of water in the oven (the steam will help the pastry to rise). Draw 2 circles of 15cm each on 2 pieces of baking parchment and put them on 2 separate baking trays.

2. Put the butter with 250ml water into a saucepan. Gently heat to melt it. As soon as the water comes up to the boil, take it off the heat and immediately add the flour in one go. Beat the mix thoroughly with an electric hand whisk until you have a paste that leaves the side of the pan clean. Add the eggs a little at time, beating until you have a glossy paste.

3. Spoon out equal quantities of pastry onto your circles. Put into the oven for 10 minutes; increase the oven to 200 fan, gas 7 and bake for a further 15 minutes or until crisp, light and golden. Pierce the sides of each bun with a skewer; return to the oven directly on the oven rack for 10 minutes. Remove then cool on a wire rack.

4. Make the filling. Melt both chocolates separately; cool. Very lightly whip the cream then whip in the dark chocolate; sandwich the rings together. Drizzle over the white chocolate; scatter over the nuts and cranberries. Serve as soon as you can.