The halls are decked, the tree is trimmed, but the hardest part of hosting remains: You're going to have to cook something!
Set your holiday party apart from the rest by taking a recipe or two from some of the leading ladies of the Bay Area's culinary scene. Here, some of our top women chefs share their holiday favorites with a global spin—think Mexican-inspired stews and Scandinavian sweets.
Belinda Leong, b.Patisserie
"I like to cook and entertain for my friends and family. My go-to dish is pretty much anything braised or stewed....short ribs, beef, pork... all of it. Dessert is always important, too." -Belinda Leong, pastry chef and owner of b.Patisserie.
Head to the Pacific Heights pastry mecca in the days before Christmas for a flaky croissant or one of their specialty pastries. Or, endeavor to make your own, following Belinda's take on one of her favorite French desserts.
Belinda's Cherry-Almond Clafoutis
- 1 cup granulated sugar, plus more for dusting
- 5 large eggs
- 1/2 vanilla bean, split, seeds scraped
- 3/4 cup all-purpose flour, sifted
- 3/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons almond flour or almond meal
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1 cup whole milk
- 1 cup heavy cream
- 12 ounces sweet cherries, pitted
- Confectioners' sugar, for dusting
- Sweetened whipped cream, for serving
- Preheat the oven to 350. Butter a 10-inch round gratin dish and dust with granulated sugar.
- In a large bowl, whisk the 1 cup of granulated sugar with the eggs and vanilla seeds.
- Whisk in the all-purpose flour, almond flour and salt until just incorporated.
- Add the milk and cream and whisk until light and very smooth, 3 minutes.
- Pour into the prepared gratin dish and arrange the cherries on top.
- Bake for 35 to 40 minutes, until the clafoutis is set. Let cool.
- Dust with confectioners' sugar and serve with whipped cream.
