Sweet Holiday Baking Tips!

1. Plan all your holiday menus at once
"Think about what events you'll be hosting, what you'd like to serve and to which office parties, birthday parties or neighborhood potlucks you will bring baked goods. Don't forget to have something extra on hand for the surprise guest or last-minute invite. Dedicate a notebook with a menu page for each event. Write it all down!"

2. Choose desserts that will save you time or that you can prepare ahead of time
"When compiling your recipes, keep it simple! Simple can be really tasty AND beautiful. Enjoy the company - don't stress yourself out.

For example, it's just not the holidays without PIE - pie shells can be premade and frozen. Whole pies can be assembled, frozen and baked when needed. Make extra - they'll keep - and keep you from being pie-less when the second string of party goers show up.

Chocolate Pecan Pie

Ingredients

• 3 ounces unsweetened chocolate
• 4 ounces butter
• 4 large eggs
• 3 tablespoons Steen's Cane Syrup (you can substitute maple syrup or corn syrup)
• 1 1/2 cups granulated sugar
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1 cup pecan halves, lightly toasted
• 1 9-inch pie shell

Cooking Directions

1. Line the pie crust with parchment or a coffee filter, add pie weights and blind bake at 350 degrees Fahrenheit until light golden.
2. Meanwhile, in a double boiler in a bowl over a pot of simmering water, melt together chocolate and butter. Set aside to cool.
3. In a separate bowl, whisk together eggs, Steen's Cane Syrup, sugar and salt. Slowly fold in cooled chocolate mixture until thoroughly combined. Add in nuts and pour into pie shell.
4. Bake at 350 until pie is almost set, approximately 30 minutes. Filling should be soft just in the center about the size of a quarter. Remove pie from oven, cool at room temperature, and serve.

3. Use recipes that you know and love
"Experimenting under a time crunch is not only stressful but if it doesn't work out, you have to scramble to put something else together. (Good thing you have that pie in the freezer...)"

4. Make your shopping list
"Be thorough because - get this - you are only going to the grocery store ONCE! Take stock of every item needed in your recipes. Think ahead, and don't forget garnishes, sauces, parchment, boxes, gift bags, ribbon, cutters, piping bags, piping tips ... you get the idea.

Maybe you already have flour, sugar and chocolate, but do you have enough? Maybe you already have baking powder, baking soda and butter, but are they fresh? If you put a little extra time in the planning stage it will save you loads of time later. That's time you can spend with those friends you haven't seen since last holiday season!"

5. "Do it nice or do it twice" as we say in the kitchen
"The holidays are fun and frenetic and exciting - and distracting. Because of all these wonderful holiday characteristics, there's usually not much time to fix a mistake or make something again.

Baking takes a certain amount of organization and concentration in order for all things to shine. Focus on what your recipe calls for, measure correctly, mix correctly, prepare your pans and bake at the correct temperature until it's done. Sweets are never better than when baked with a little extra love!"