Method

1. First make the choux pastry. 

2. Sieve the flour with the salt onto a piece of silicone paper. Heat the water and butter in a high-sided saucepan until the butter is melted. 

3. Bring to a fast-rolling boil, take from the heat. (Note: Prolonged boiling evaporates the water and changes the proportions of the dough). 

4. Immediately after the pan is taken from the heat, add all the flour at once and beat vigorously with a wooden spoon for a few seconds until the mixture is smooth and pulls away from the sides of the saucepan to form a ball. 

5. Put the saucepan back on a low heat and stir for 30 seconds – one minute or until the mixture starts to fur the bottom of the saucepan. Remove from the heat and cool for a few seconds. 

6. Meanwhile, set aside one egg, break it and whisk in a bowl. Add the remaining eggs into the dough, one by one with a wooden spoon, beating thoroughly after each addition. 

7. Make sure the dough comes back to the same texture each time before you add another egg. When it will no longer form a ball in the centre of the saucepan, add the beaten egg little by little. 

8. Use just enough to make a mixture that is very shiny and just drops reluctantly from the spoon in a sheet. 

9. Next make the craquelin. 

10. Combine the flour, butter and sugar in a bowl. Mix with your fingers to form a dough then knead to a smooth consistency. Allow to rest for 15 minutes in the fridge. 

11. Preheat the oven to 180°C/Gas Mark 4. 

12. Transfer the craquelin dough to a floured sheet of parchment paper and roll out very thin — approx. 2mm.   

13. Pipe the choux and place the discs on top of the craquelin. 

14. Bake in a preheated oven for approximately 35 minutes. 

15. Allow to cool on a wire rack. 

16. Sweeten the whipped cream to taste with icing sugar and a dash of vanilla extract. Put into a piping bag with a rose nozzle and pipe into the buns. 

17. Alternatively, split the buns in half crossways and fill with the sweetened cream or filling of your choice. 

18. Dust with icing sugar. 

19. Serve with hot chocolate sauce. 

20. For the chocolate sauce: Melt the chocolate in a bowl over simmering water or in a low heat oven. Gradually stir in the syrup. Flavour with rum or pure vanilla extract. 

21. Dissolve the sugar in the waterand bring to the boil. 

22. Boil for 2 minutes then allow it to cool. Store in the fridge until needed. 

Method

1. Combine the eggs and both types of sugar in a bowl and whisk until combined. 

2. Melt the butter. Add to the tahini and eggs, gently whisk to combine. 

3. Add the flour, baking powder and salt, mix with a fork until all ingredients are incorporated and the dough is soft yet firm. 

4. Add the coarsely chopped white chocolate and incorporate into the dough mix. 

5. Scoop the dough with a generous teaspoonful onto a parchment-covered baking tray.Alternatively, shape your dough into a roll of 4cm diameter, wrap in parchment paper and chill in the refrigerator or freezer. 

6. Cut into approx. 3cm slices. 

7. Preheat the oven to 160°C/Gas Mark 3. 

8. Just before baking, sprinkle the cookies with sea salt and bake for 10-13 minutes until the centre of the cookie loses its glistening buttery shine. It’s worth rotating the baking tray halfway through. 

9. Cool on a wire rack. 

Method

1. Preheat the oven to 160˚C/ Gas Mark 3/ Fan 140˚C. Butter and line your cake tin with enough greaseproof paper to come up the sides of the tin, this will help to remove the cake later. 

2. Measure the dry ingredients, including the sugar, into a large mixing bowl and whisk with a balloon whisk to distribute the salt, bicarbonate of soda, and baking powder evenly throughout the other dry ingredients. 

3. In another bowl, whisk together the wet ingredients (except for the hot water). 

4. Make a well in the centre of the dry ingredients and pour in the wet mixture. Starting in the middle of the bowl, whisk in a clockwise, circular motion. Don’t switch direction or you’ll end up with lumps. Gradually whisk together until you have a smooth but thick batter. 

5. Whisk in the hot water until smooth. 

6. Pour the batter into your pan right away and bake for 50-60 minutes until the top is springy to the touch and an inserted skewer comes out clean. 

7. Allow the cake to cool completely in the tin. 

8. Once the cake has cooled, prepare the marshmallow. Have your mixer ready with a whisk attachment. 

9. Measure all of the ingredients into a metal bowl and place over a saucepan of boiling water (do not let the water touch the bottom of the bowl or it will cook the egg whites). 

10. Whisk continuously until the sugar dissolves and the mixture is very warm to the touch. Use a thermometer and whisk continuously until it reads 72°C or 70°C (162˚F or 158˚F) for two minutes, whichever comes first. Transfer the mix into the bowl of your electric mixer and whisk on high speed until nearly stiff peaks form. 

11. Put the icing into a piping bag with a large round nozzle and pipe 20-24 big bubbles in rows over the top of the cooled cake. Use a tiny sieve to dust a strip of cocoa powder lengthwise across the cake. Decorate with flakes of gold leaf and a scattering of fresh flower petals.