Churro-inspired Christmas tree

O Christmas tree, O Christmas tree, how tasty are thy branches...

Inspired by Spanish churros, this recipe will turn the Christmas tree into even more of a star attraction. It's also quick to make and bake, meaning that it can be prepared for a sweet treat the night before Christmas.

Ingredients

2 x 375g packs Co-op ready rolled puff pastry

100g chocolate spread

1 Co-op Fairburn's egg from the Love Local range, beaten

1 ½ tsp caster sugar

¼ tsp ground cinnamon

For the chocolate dipping sauce:

100g Co-op Fairtrade dark

chocolate, broken into pieces

50ml Co-op double cream

10g Co-op unsalted butter

1 tbsp golden syrup or clear honey

Method

1. Preheat the oven to 200°C/fan 180°C/Gas Mark 6

2. Unroll the pastry and put 1 sheet, still on its paper, on a baking tray. Take the paper off the second sheet (reserving the paper for later) and gently lay it on top.

3. Using a sharp knife, trim the sheets into the shape of a Christmas tree, with a trunk at the bottom — make a paper template to draw round if you like.

4. Remove the top tree and set aside on the reserved paper.

5. Spread the chocolate over the first tree, with a 1cm gap at the edges, then top with the other tree.

6. To make the branches, cut strips of about 2.5cm thick in the sides of the pastry, leaving a central core, then twist each one.

7. Top with a star cut out of the excess pastry.

8. Brush the tree with the beaten egg, then combine the sugar and cinnamon and sprinkle over it.

9. Bake for 25 minutes until the pastry is cooked through, puffed up and golden.

10. Meanwhile, to make the dipping sauce, put all the ingredients in a heatproof bowl over a pan of simmering water but making sure the bowl doesn’t touch the water. Heat, stirring occasionally, until melted.

11. Serve the sauce warm alongside the Christmas tree.