If you are looking for a fail proof Thanksgiving dish, try a recipe from one of America’s top hotel chefs. Create a classic or opt for a modern twist on a feast favorite. Either way, your guests will be impressed.

Thanksgiving Recipes

Gluten Free Pumpkin Bread

Recipe is courtesy of the Pastry Chef at Aspen’s Hotel Jerome.

Makes 1 Loaf

Ingredients:
(15 ounce) can pumpkin purée
4 eggs
1 cup vegetable oil
2/3 cup water
3 cups white sugar
3 1/2 cups gluten free all-purpose flour
2 teaspoons baking soda
1 1/2 teaspoons salt
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1/2 teaspoon ground cloves
1/4 teaspoon ground ginger

Method:
1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

2. Grease and flour three 7×3 inch loaf pans.

3. In a large bowl, mix pumpkin puree, eggs, oil, water and sugar until well blended.

4. In a separate bowl, whisk the flour, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, nutmeg, cloves and ginger.

5. Stir the dry ingredients into the pumpkin mixture until just blended.

6. Bake for about 50 minutes.

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Slow Roasted Brined Turkey

Recipe is courtesy of Four Seasons San Francisco.
Serves 6-8

Ingredients:
1 whole turkey, 8-9 lbs (3.6-4 kg) (broken down into 2 breasts, 2 legs, 2 thighs and carcass)
1 gallon (3.8 L) water
1 cup (250 ml) kosher salt
½ cup (125 ml) sugar
5 bay leaves
1 bunch fresh thyme

Method:
1. Place all ingredients except the turkey pieces in a medium stockpot. Bring to a boil, then cool to 40°F (4.4°C).

2. Once the brine has cooled, add the turkey breasts and let sit in the brine overnight in the refrigerator.

3. Remove the turkey breasts. Dry and let come to room temperature.

4. Preheat oven to 250°F (121°C). Place the breasts on a roasting rack and roast for 2 hours or the internal temperature reaches 160°F (71°C).

5. Remove from oven and let rest for 20 minutes.
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Roasted Vegetables

Recipe is courtesy of Chef Joseph Lenn at Blackberry Farm in the Great Smoky Mountains of Tennessee.

Ingredients:
6 ounces baby turnips (peeled and halved)
6 ounces baby carrots (peeled and halved)
6 ounces brussel sprouts I (halved)
6 ounces marble potatoes (halved)
6 cloves garlic
1 tablespoon + 1 teaspoon olive oil
2 teaspoons salt
1 tablespoon thyme leaves

Method:
1. Preheat 7 qt. roaster in a 450F oven.

2. Place all vegetables in a mixing bowl and coat with salt and olive oil.

3. Place vegetables in pre heated roaster and spread so that there is an even layer.

4. Stir vegetables after 10 minutes.

5. Let vegetables cook for another 5-10 minutes or until you can pierce the potatoes with a pairing knife and there is no resistance.

6. Remove from oven and add thyme and serve.

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The Original Boston Cream Pie

Recipe is courtesy of Boston’s historic Omni Parker House.

Ingredients:
One 10” round sponge cake
Pastry cream
4 oz. toasted almonds
Chocolate icing

Sponge Cake Ingredients (for 1 10-inch pan):
7 Eggs, separated
8oz. Sugar
1 Cup Flour
1 oz. Melted butter

Method:
In two bowls, separate egg yolks and whites. Add ½ of the sugar to each bowl. Beat both until peaked. When stiff, fold the whites into the yolk mixture. Gradually add flour, mixing with a wooden spatula. Mix in the butter. Pour this mixture into a 10-inch greased cake pan. Bake at 350 degrees for about 20 minutes, or until spongy and golden. Remove from oven and allow to cool fully.

Pastry Cream Ingredients:
1 tbsp. Butter
2 cups Milk
2 cups Light Cream
½ cup Sugar
3 ½ tbsp. Cornstarch
6 Eggs
1 tsp. Dark rum

Method:
Bring to a boil in a saucepan the butter, milk and light cream. While this mixture is cooking, combine the sugar, cornstarch and eggs in a bowl and whip until ribbons form. When the cream, milk, butter mixture reaches the boiling point, whisk in the egg mixture and cook to boiling. Boil for one minute. Pour into a bowl and cover the surface with plastic wrap. Chill overnight if possible. When chilled, whisk to smooth out and flavor with 1 tsp. dark rum.

Chocolate Icing:
6 oz. Fondant
3 oz. Semi-sweet chocolate, melted

Warm 6 oz. of white fondant over boiling water to approximately 105 degrees. Add melted chocolate. Thin to spreading consistency with water.

White Fondant Icing:
5 oz. Fondant

Warm 5 oz. of white fondant over boiling water to approximately 105 degrees. Thin with water if necessary. Place in a piping bag with a 1/8-inch tip.

Method:

Spread a thin layer of chocolate fondant icing on the top of the cake. Follow immediately with spiral lines starting from the center of the cake, using the white fondant in the pastry bag. Score the white lines with the point of a paring knife, starting at the center and pulling outward to the edge.

Substitution for Fondant Icing

Chocolate Icing:

6 oz Semi-sweet chocolate, melted
2 oz. Warm water

Melt the chocolate. Combine with warm water.

White Icing:

1 cup 10X Sugar (Confectioner’s)
1 tsp. Corn syrup
1 tsp. Water

Combine ingredients and warm to approximately 105 degrees. Adjust the consistency with water. It should flow freely from the pastry bag.

Assembly Procedures:

Level the sponge cake off at the top using a slicing knife. Cut the cake into two layers. Spread the flavored pastry cream over one layer. Top with the second cake layer. Reserve a small amount of the pastry cream to spread on sides to adhere to almonds. Top the cake with the chocolate icing as described. Spread sides of cake with a thin coating of the reserved pastry cream. Press on toasted almonds.

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