You may not have heard of crullers but, trust us, you’re going to love them. More substantial than a choux bun, lighter (and much quicker) than a doughnut, these elegant pastries have grooves that are ideal for holding a flavourful glaze or topping. Expert pastry chef Nicola Lamb explains the tricks and techniques needed to achieve cruller perfection – see Tips below for more. Recipe taken from her book Sift (Ebury Press £30) and tested by delicious. “Airy and slightly gooey inside, crullers are the cool sisters of the doughnut family,” says Nicola. “Try tossing in different flavoured sugars or switching the glaze. You can also use different nozzles to mix up the final look of the cruller – the wider the tip, the more dramatic the result. How about piping different shapes and squiggles – alphabet crullers, anyone?”