Ingredients

2 x 375g packs Coop ready rolled puff pastry
100g chocolate spread
1 free range egg, beaten
1 ½ tsp caster sugar
¼ tsp ground cinnamon

For the chocolate dipping sauce:
100g Coop Fairtrade dark chocolate, broken into pieces
50ml local double cream
10g local unsalted butter
1 tbsp golden syrup or clear honey

Method

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

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.

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.

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

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

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 as shown.

Top with a star cut out of the excess pastry.

Brush the tree with the egg.

Combine the sugar and cinnamon, then sprinkle over it.

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

Meanwhile, make the dipping sauce:
put all the ingredients in a heatproof bowl over a pan of simmering water, making sure the bowl doesn’t touch the water.

Heat, stirring occasionally until melted.

Serve the sauce warm alongside the Christmas tree.