The holiday season is here and with it comes the chance to make and feast on <a href="https://www.thenationalnews.com/lifestyle/food/2022/12/22/christmas-gifts-and-treats-from-uae-confectioners/" target="_blank">delicious and traditional treats </a>that tantalise the taste buds and fill one with a sense of nostalgia. In this series of seasonal dishes, we ask <a href="https://www.thenationalnews.com/lifestyle/food/2022/12/06/festive-recipe-dario-cecchinis-chestnut-arancini/" target="_blank">chefs from some of the UAE's top restaurants </a>to share their <a href="https://www.thenationalnews.com/lifestyle/food/2022/12/21/festive-recipe-christmas-fruitcake-from-dubai-hilton-pastry-chef/" target="_blank">favourite festive recipes</a>. Timo Glockner, head chef at Ernst at the 25hours Hotel One Central in Dubai, is from a small town called Pirmasens in Rhineland-Palatinate, Germany. His focus is on serving traditional German dishes, which are usually simple. “I don’t like wasting too much time when it comes to cooking, on unnecessary garnishes and fancy visuals that ultimately end up on the side of the plate," he tells <i>The National</i>. "German cooking is all about going back to basics. However, Germans take their dessert very seriously.” Of the bratapfel, or baked apple,<b> </b>recipe he shares with us, Glockner says: “This is a traditional German dessert served in the winter, with the aromas of apples, cinnamon, nuts and raisins associated with the festive season. "It is commonly served with a warm vanilla sauce and resembles a Christmas pudding if you eat it all mixed up together. This is a recipe that every grandma used to serve back in the day, but it is a bit forgotten now, which is a shame for such a simple and delicious treat.” <b>Bratapfel</b> Serves four <i><b>Ingredients</b></i> <i><b>Method</b></i> <b>Scroll through the gallery to see some foods traditionally enjoyed over the festive season</b>