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4 recipes that prove Christmas and chocolate are a match made in holiday heaven

Famed pastry chef Gesine Bullock-Prado helps you add more decadence to your dishes.
Dark chocolate cherry ganache hearts with sea salt
Need a gift idea? How about homemade chocolate?Dawn Ly / Getty Images
/ Source: TODAY

Christmas and chocolate go together just like Frosty and Rudolph.

And when it comes to ganache goodness, there's no such thing as a sugary overload. Just ask Gesine Bullock-Prado, the celebrated pastry chef who runs the Sugar Glider Kitchen baking school in Vermont and is the author of numerous cookbooks, like "Let Them Eat Cake: Classic, Decadent Desserts with Vegan, Gluten-Free & Healthy Variations."

Bullock-Prado has a semi-relaxed philosophy about sweets when it comes to kids. “If you restrict it too much you will create a monster and I am the living monster. Pick your battles. In Germany, they have coffee and cake time every day. It’s a time to visit with each other. It’s structured and it’s a meaningful part of your day and not a blind noshing of sugar,” she told TODAY.

She’s super-close to Laila and Louis Bardo, her sister Sandra Bullock's two children. And yes, she spoils them. Showing restraint, Bullock-Prado jokes, “is not my job. I’m the baker-pastry chef and the aunt. I’m not about moderation at all with them. And then I can leave and they’re hopped up on sugar. My husband is their favorite. He’s like a toy to them. I love them so much. I’m still going to gorge them with treats.”

Speaking of treats, Bullock-Prado has a great idea of something special you can make with your whole family this holiday.

Bullock-Prado's secret is ganache. "It’s chopped chocolate and hot cream. You can have kids sitting there making truffles and putting whatever they want inside of them. It’s a craft activity. And they can wrap it in really pretty wrappers,” she said.

With the following recipes, she helps us inject even more chocolate decadence into the holidays!

Chocolate S'Mores Pudding

Give chocolate pudding a boost with yummy marshmallows.

Chocolate Peppermint Dessert Pizza

Who needs pepperoni when chocolate makes the perfect pizza topping?

Gifting Chocolate

This homemade gift will dazzle everyone.

Hot Cocoa

Get The Recipe

Hot Cocoa

Gesine Bullock-Prado

Cheers to the holidays with this divine hot cocoa!