We’re suckers for a pastry and while ordering a Simpsons At Home meal during lockdown, we may have added a selection of the sweet stuff from the clever sticks at XO Patisserie. Twice.

If you’ve ever watched Bake Off The Professionals, opening the unassuming white box to reveal the stunning morsels inside was a bit like that, minus the high drama and expletives. We might have eaten them as though we were judging BOTP style mind you. Picture Benoit Blin only from Smethwick.

We’re not pastry chefs, but even we could appreciate the talent and effort that had gone into each intricate dessert. They were genuinely like a work of art and so colourful. The vivid green of the pistachio éclair was something else and tasted absolutely dreamy. The smoothest creme pat through the centre, beautiful crisp choux and a sweet hit of icing was just stunning.

A mango and roasted hazelnut gateaux stood proudly displaying a canary yellow coating sprinkled with chopped hazelnuts. Slicing into it was guilt inducing, but worth it. The layers inside looked technically impossible yet there they were winking at us. The textures were bang on with the smoothness tempered with crunchy nuts and fruity mango cutting through the sweetness.

Up next, triple chocolate petit gateaux. A classy chocolate fest that wowed the crowd. Then came a peanut butter and blackcurrant slice. Admittedly this doesn’t sound great on paper, particularly if you think peanut butter is the work of Satan, however it tasted brilliant. It was like a touch of old school Black Forest gateaux finessed wonderfully.

Chef Bharat Chandegra took part in Bake Off The Professionals in 2018, so he really knows his stuff. Out of a box of four, there were only winners. All of them were super special and felt like a real treat. The selection varies from week to week.