Recipes

A classic French dessert with a cozy, festive twist. Crisp choux pastry filled with smooth mascarpone cream and a swirl of Christmas Jam for extra charm. Simple to make, elegant to serve, and absolutely irresistible

Read the full recipe below

Ingredients:

125 g butter
flaked almonds, for sprinkling
125 g water
125 g milk
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon sugar
160 g strong white bread flour (high-protein flour, around 12–14% helps the choux pastry
hold its shape and rise beautifully)
3 large eggs

For the filling:

Garden Tales Christmas Jam
250 g mascarpone cheese
80-100 ml double cream (30–36%)
seeds from ½ vanilla pod (or 1 teaspoon vanilla paste)
1–1½ teaspoons icing sugar
a pinch of salt

Let’s get started!

Prepare the choux pastry:
Place the water, milk, butter, salt, and sugar in a saucepan. Heat gently over medium heat until the butter melts. When the mixture begins to lightly sizzle, remove it from the heat, avoid boiling to prevent too much evaporation.

Add the flour:
Sift in the flour and stir vigorously until combined. Return the pan to medium heat and cook for exactly 3 minutes, stirring constantly, until the dough becomes smooth and comes away from the sides of the pan. (Timing is key here, set a timer!)

Cool and add the eggs:
Transfer the dough to a cool bowl and let it rest, stirring occasionally, until no longer hot. Once cooled, add the eggs one at a time, mixing well with a spatula after each addition. The dough should be thick yet slightly elastic, when you lift the spoon, it should slowly fall and form a “V” or small peak.

(If the dough feels too stiff, add a small amount of a fourth egg and test again.)

Shape and bake:
Spoon the dough into a piping bag fitted with a large round tip. Trace circles onto baking paper (a jam jar lid works perfectly as a guide), flip the paper over, and pipe the dough following the outlines. Sprinkle with flaked almonds.

Bake at 160°C (fan) for about 30–35 minutes, until golden brown. Turn off the oven, open the door slightly, and leave the pastries inside for another 10 minutes to dry out.

Make the mascarpone cream:
In a bowl, beat together mascarpone, vanilla seeds, icing sugar, and a pinch of salt. Slowly pour in the cream while whisking. Beat on low speed just until the mixture becomes light and fluffy don’t over-mix.

Assemble the dessert:
Cut the cooled choux rings in half horizontally. Dollop the Christmas Jam in several spots on the bottom half, then pipe the mascarpone cream over and around the jam. Place the top half gently on top.

Finishing touch:
Dust with icing sugar just before serving.

Enjoy!