On any given Sunday, if there is ever a brief, quiet lull in the day, you will find me curled up on the couch surrounded by cookbooks. Some days, these cookbooks fulfill an essential goal - to figure out what to feed my growing boys every week. But on other days, I leisurely flip through the pages, soaking up the ingredients, eras, moments, and stories shared in what is typically thought of as merely an instruction manual. Food is always the best answer if I want to take a respite from the world.

As you can imagine, my love for cookbooks, combined with the magic of the holiday season, is a recipe (ha!) I cannot refuse. I was thrilled to receive an early copy of Sarah Frison’s newest book, The Festive Belgian Bakery - Holiday Edition. Sarah’s deep expertise as a classically trained pastry chef and chocolatier is evident on every page. She’s done a brilliant job of breaking down what could be an overwhelming task, such as making festive hollow chocolate figurines into easy steps.

Sarah masterfully weaves together tradition, holiday nostalgia, and pastry techniques to teach you everything you need to know about the most beloved Belgian holiday treats. The classic Belgian holiday treats are covered, including speculaas, an entire section on festive chocolates, yule logs, apple dumplings, and smoutebollen (similar to American-style donut holes or French beignets). There's even a Madeleine recipe if you’re in the mood for something a little more French, though I may have committed a faux pas in calling out this recipe in a Belgian recipe book. 😅I’ve quickly learned the origin of a beloved food is always passionately debated here.

Whether you’re a pastry novice, a busy mom, living in Belgium, or halfway around the world, Sarah has packed these pages full of tips and tricks to create delicious Belgian delights in your kitchen just in time for the holidays. Sarah, a Belgian native living in the UK, knows how difficult it is to bake in another country without the same ingredients and easy-to-find tools you depend on for traditional recipes. So, she’s thoughtfully provided simple substitutes wherever she can. It’s a touch that I’ve so appreciated as I adapt to baking in a new country.

🎄If you order The Festive Belgian Bakery today, you’ll be ready to open it ahead of St. Nicholas Day (celebrated on December 6th in France and Belgium). I’m still learning about all the different holidays here!

You can find The Festive Belgian Bakery globally through Amazon or in the United States through Barnes and Noble.

United States | English version: Barnes and Noble

United States | Dutch version: Barnes and Noble

Globally | English version: Amazon UK

Globally | Dutch version: Amazon UK

Note: These are not Amazon affiliate links. I’m just excited to share Sarah’s work with all of you.

About Sarah Frison

Thank you for letting me share a fun holiday treat this week. If you pick up a copy, please let me know! My oldest is obsessed with baking, and I just found my Christmas sprits press, so I cannot wait to dig into these recipes.

With light and love this season,

✨P.S. Here’s a fun little throwback: baking with my oldest weeks before my youngest came into the world. Let’s ignore the slightly exhausted and impatient (because cooking with a toddler) face and remember the *holiday magic* 😆.