
Preparation
Step 1
Pre-heat the oven to 175°C/350°F.
Step 2
Place a sheet of puff pastry on a baking tray lined with parchment paper.
Step 3
Working down the longest edge, spread one half with chocolate-hazelnut spread and sprinkle with chopped hazelnuts.
Step 4
Sprinkle the other side with red Leicester cheese. Season with pepper.
Step 5
Place the second sheet of pastry on top and press gently.
Step 6
Working down the long length of the pastry, use a knife to carve a 2cm width through the middle of the pastry for the trunk of the tree. Make an even number of horizontal slits left and right of the tree trunk for branches – about 1cm wide per branch. Cut a square into the bottom for the base of the tree.
Step 7
Take two strands of pastry side by side and twist them together like a rope. Position so each one is facing downwards. Repeat for all branches on both sides of the tree.
Step 8
Brush with beaten egg yolks and bake for 35-40 minutes or until golden all over. Top the tree with a red Leicester cheese star cut using a star-shaped cookie cutter.
©foodnetwork
Ingredients
2x 320g boxes ready-rolled puff pastry
140g chocolate-hazelnut spread
50g chopped toasted hazelnuts
80g red Leicester cheese, grated
2 egg yolks, beaten
Chopped flat leaf parsley, to garnish cheese half
Icing sugar to dust chocolate half
1 slice red Leicester cheese