Thanksgiving is nigh, and turkeys are getting nervous. The Americans among you need no introduction to the event. For the rest of us, this is a fine excuse to have a rollicking good feed in November. We asked two American chefs in Dubai to share their favourite Thanksgiving recipes ahead of the big day on November 28.

Robert Bruce Head banquet chef at Ritz-Carlton Dubai

SWEET POTATO PIE
Pastry
• 2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour • 1 tsp salt • 1 tsp sugar • 16 tbsp cold, unsalted butter • 1/4 to 1/2 cup ice water

Method
• In a food processor, combine the flour, salt and sugar.
• Add butter and pulse again until mixture resembles coarse meal, with a few pea-size pieces of butter remaining.
• Sprinkle with 1/4-cup ice water. Pulse until dough is crumbly (if necessary, add up to 1/4 cup more water, a tablespoon at a time).
• Transfer dough onto a piece of plastic wrap. Form into a flat disk and wrap tightly in plastic. Refrigerate until firm, at least one hour.
• Once chilled, roll out the dough and place in a pie pan. Place parchment paper on top and fill with dried beans (blind bake). Bake at 200˚C until golden brown.
• Allow to cool.

Filling
• 3 lbs sweet potato • 2 vanilla beans  • 1 tsp cinnamon  • 1/2 tsp nutmeg • 3 whole eggs  • 1/4 cup cream • 1/2 tsp salt • 1 each vanilla bean seeds

Method
• Roast sweet potatoes at 170˚C until tender. Then cool in the fridge.
• Once cooled, cut in half and scoop out the centre. Discard the skin.
• Combine all remaining ingredients together and mix. Evenly spread filling inside of baked piecrust.

Crumble topping
• 2 cups pecans piece (toasted) • 1/4 cup brown sugar • 1/4 cup butter (melted)

Method
• Combine pecans and brown sugar. Slowly add butter until mixture is crumbly.
• Sprinkle the crumble topping on top of the filled pie shell.
• Bake at 150˚C until brown.
• Serve warm.

Collin Kaskel Chef de Cuisine at Fairmont Dubai

PUMPKIN PIE
Praline crust
•2 tbsp melted butter •1/2 cup finely chopped pecans •1/2 cup sugar •1/8 tsp salt •1/8 tsp ground cinnamon •1 cup all-purpose flour 

Pie filling
•1 (15-ounce) can pumpkin filling (no sugar added) •3/4 cup white sugar •1 tbsp, plus a dash of pumpkin pie spice • 1 1/4 cups heavy cream •4 eggs 

Method
The crust
• Preheat oven to 180˚C.
• Mix crust ingredients together in a small bowl. While mixture is warm from the butter, press evenly into the bottom of a deep-dish pie pan. Bake for five minutes, or until browned. Remove piecrust from oven.

The filling
• Preheat oven to 220˚C.
• Place filling ingredients in a medium bowl and mix well with a wire whisk. Pour filling into prebaked piecrust. Bake for 15 minutes and then reduce the oven temperature to 180˚C. Continue to bake for 50 minutes. To check if it’s ready, stick a toothpick in the centre – if it comes out clean, the pie is done.
• Cool and then chill, add marshmallow once ready and serve.

MARSHMALLOW
•2 ½ tsp powdered gelatine •½ cup cold water •1 ½ cup sugar •1 cup corn syrup •¼ tsp salt •Vanilla

Method
Bloom the gelatine with the water in a mixing bowl. Stir the sugar and corn syrup in a pot. Heat to 120˚C on a candy thermometer. Carefully pour the hot sugar syrup into the gelatine while whipping. Add the salt and vanilla and continue whipping on high. While the mixture is still warm, add the egg white. Keep whipping until marshmallows are not hot. Spread them out in a greased nine-inch by nine-inch pan and allow them to set for several hours. After the marshmallow has cooled, add to your pie.