The holiday season is upon us, which means everyone’s favorite recipes are center stage. From festive drinks to family recipes, the holidays are the perfect time to explore different flavors with family and friends. This year, we share a few of our chefs’ favorite recipes. Chef Rebekah shares a delicious spiced Holiday Sangria, the perfect addition to a happy hour or family dinner. Chef Megan shares a chocolate pound cake recipe that has been passed down within her family for generations, and Chef Jean prepares one of her favorite New York Times recipes for ‘Coconut Hot Chocolate’, a decadent dessert drink that is sure to impress.

Recipe: Rebekah Ziesmer

Ingredients

Sangria

1 750ml bottle full-bodied dry red wine, such as zinfandel or cabernet

½ cup orange liqueur

¼ cup crème de cassis or blackberry liqueur

1 cup 100% cranberry juice

½ cup fresh squeezed orange juice

Juice from 1 lemon

1 large Honeycrisp or Pink Lady apple, cored and sliced

1 navel orange, sliced into rounds

1 lemon, sliced into rounds

6 ounces fresh cranberries

4 cinnamon sticks

6 whole star anise

1 12-ounce can orange or cranberry flavored sparkling water

8 rosemary sprigs

Sugared Cranberry Garnish

½ cup (100g) granulated sugar

½ cup water

6 ounces fresh cranberries

¾ cups caster, baker’s, or superfine sugar

Method

Sangria

1. In a large pitcher or drink dispenser, combine red wine, liquors, juices, fruit, cinnamon sticks and star anise and stir to combine.

2. Refrigerate at least 4 hours or overnight.

3. When ready to serve, add sparkling water and rosemary sprigs. Pour over ice and garnish with sugared cranberries.

Sugared Cranberry Garnish

1. In a medium saucepan over medium-high heat, combine the sugar and water and stir until sugar has completely dissolved.

2. Remove from heat and stir in cranberries until completely coated. Transfer to wire rack and let rest until dry but still tacky, about 20 minutes.

3. Pour caster sugar into a shallow dish and, working in batches, roll cranberries to coat. Transfer back to wire rack and let rest until completely dry, about 1 hour.

4. Skewer on cocktail sticks or sticks of rosemary and use to garnish sangria.

Recipe: Megan Marshall

Ingredients

2 Sticks Butter

½ Cup Vegetable Shortening

3 Cups Granulated Sugar

5 large Eggs, Beaten

3 Cups Cake Flour, Sifted

½ tsp. Baking Powder

½ tsp. Salt

½ Cup Cocoa Powder

1 Cup Milk

2 tsp. Vanilla

Method

1. Pre-Heat Oven to 325˚F.

2. Sift together dry ingredients, repeat two more times. The mixture needs to be sifted a total of 3 times.

3. In bowl of stand mixture add butter & shortening, cream for 30 seconds. Add sugar and cream until light and fluffy. Add eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition.

4. In a small bowl whisk together milk and vanilla.

5. To creamed butter and sugar mixture add 1/3 of the dry mixture and mix until incorporated. Next add half of the milk. Repeat this until everything is incorporated and batter is smooth.

6. Pour into a greased & lightly floured bunt or tube pan.

7. Bake for 1 hour and 30 minutes. A toothpick should come out clean.

Original recipe by: Melissa Clark, Posted in NYT Cooking

Prepared by: Jean Heimann

Ingredients

Hot Chocolate

2 tbsp. unsweetened cocoa powder

1 15 oz. can coconut milk

¼ cup packed dark brown sugar

Pinch of kosher salt

1 ounce bittersweet chocolate, chopped

1 tsp. vanilla extract

Meringue

1 large egg white

3 tbsp. sugar

Method

Hot Chocolate

1. Whisk together the coco powder with 1/3 cup boiling water.

2. In a separate saucepan, combine coconut milk, brown sugar and salt. Bring to a simmer and stir until the sugar is dissolved.

3. Whisk in the hot coco and chocolate until smooth. Take off heat and stir in the vanilla.

Meringue

1. With an electric mixer, beat egg white on medium speed until it begins to foam, 1 minute.

2. Add sugar in a slow stream by the tablespoonful while the mixer is running. Beat until the egg white stiffens in to soft shiny peaks.