Here is a classic marriage of cocoa and poppy — two great plants cultivated for centuries, revered by many different civilisations, and also mentioned widely in ancient medical texts … so although these glorious little twists may look like just another excuse to put chocolate through a dough, they are, in fact, purely medicinal!

method

Take the rested croissant dough from the refrigerator and roll it out into a rectangle measuring about 35 x 70 cm (14 x 27½ inches), and about 5 mm (¼ inch) thick. This may take quite a lot of energy, as the dough may keep springing back to its original size. If this happens, rest the dough in the refrigerator for about 10 minutes, then resume rolling. This resting process may need to be done a number of times. If the dough is becoming too large to fit in the fridge, simply fold it over and place on a tray before chilling it.

Lay the dough on a lightly floured work surface, with the short edges running away from you. Spread with the chocolate ganache, all the way to the edges, then sprinkle all over with poppy seeds. Fold the dough over onto itself, so it is about 17–18 cm (6½ inches) wide.

Cut into 2 cm (¾ inch) thick slices, across the folded edge. Hold one piece, with a hand on each end, and turn in opposite directions to form a twist. Repeat with the remaining slices. (Alternatively, instead of making twists, you can cut the dough into whatever shapes you fancy.)

Place on lined baking trays at well-spaced intervals. (At this point you could store some in the freezer. When you’re ready to use them, place them in the fridge overnight, then early next morning, simply prove and bake as directed below.)

Cover loosely with a damp tea towel or damp muslin (cheesecloth). Set aside in a warm room (about 26–28ºC/ 79–82ºF) for 2 hours, or until almost doubled in size. Spray the cloth with water occasionally if it becomes dry.

Preheat the oven to 200ºC (400ºF).

Lightly brush the tops with egg wash and place in the oven. Immediately reduce the oven temperature to 160ºC (320ºF) and bake for 12–14 minutes, or until deeply golden.

Cool slightly on the trays, before dusting with icing sugar.