Announcing the first-ever Patch Holiday Bake-Off on Dec. 2!

Submit your favorite holiday dessert recipes over the next month and be featured on San Anselmo-Fairfax Patch. Email recipes to kellyd@patch.com. Or check out local chefs' favorite holiday recipes starting on Monday. We'll also showcase favorite holiday desserts of our Patch writers, staff, and community.

But, that's not the best part.

All the recipes are merely to get your mouth watering for the Holiday Bake-Off on Dec. 2 from noon to 2 p.m. at the Seminary, Upper Alexander Hall. Bring your best holiday desserts to be judged by a panel of local experts and vie to be named the Patch Bake-Off Champion!

What do you win? Honor, respect, the adoration of masses. Also, you'll get to try all the baked goods brought as part of the competition -- a truly tasty treat.

The Patch Holiday Bake-Off is being sponsored by the San Anselmo Chamber of Commerce (thank you!) and will be hosted as part of their most delicious holiday luncheon ever.

To get the ball rolling, Patch Regional Publisher Anastasia Pryor shares the secret of her Grandmother's Apricot Tarts:

Ingredients:

18oz cream cheese

1/2lb unsalted butter

2cups flour

apricot preserves

powdered sugar

pinch of salt

All ingredients must be cold.

Put flour and salt in a bowl. Cut cream cheese and butter into small cubes. Add the cream cheese and butter to the dry ingredients. Blend the butter and cream cheese into the flour until the mixture resembles coarse meal. Mix the dough gently until it holds together.  

Do not overwork it. It should look marbled.

Roll dough out on a lightly floured surface and form a square. Cut in 3-inch pieces and add about 2 tsp of the preserves to the center of the square. Fold all four corners into the center and pinch together to form an envelope.

Bake at 375  for a half-hour. Let cool and dust with powdered sugar.  Enjoy!