You couldn’t have asked for a better day for a cross-country trip in Ireland. I made the three-hour drive from the east coast to the Midlands under a brilliant blue sky with warm sunshine beating down, passing roadsides covered with wild daises, buttercups and poppies, tractors pulling trailers of turf in the bogs of County Offaly and farmers working to harvest the first cut of silage in fields all along the way. I was heading to Oldfarm in County Tipperary, between Birr and Portumna, to meet up with a few fellow food bloggers and to see some rare-breed pigs.

Six years ago, Margaret O’Farrell and Alfie McCaffrey traded in their city life in Dublin and their scuba diving business for life in the country and a new venture raising free-range Saddleback pigs. Last week, they invited a group of strangers to their home for an afternoon of foodie chat and to have a look around their farm. We sat on their fabulous porch (what Margaret calls her “Martha Stewart room”) with a view to the Silvermine and Slieve Bloom mountains and drank homemade elderflower cordial while they told us how the two pigs they originally bought – they only wanted one for themselves and one for Margaret’s brother – became forty-eight, and without quite meaning to, they found themselves in the pig business.

We headed out then to look at the pigs for ourselves, all happily rooting in the earth in the fresh air, taking little notice of us as we stood next to them and talked shop. Ralph Haslam from Mossfield Organic Farm stopped by later on, coming out to meet us in the fields behind the house. Margaret and Alfie feed the whey left over from his cheese-making to their pigs, as well as locally grown barley and vegetables, and this time he brought a box of his award-winning cheeses for us to try and take home.

After tramping around the farm, we returned to the porch and a table groaning with food — Ralph’s cheeses, strawberries and cherries picked that morning from Margaret’s garden, two kinds of chocolate chip cookies, muffins, a Barra cake, a strawberry sponge, a mocha tart that we’re all still talking about, and a new experiment from Theresa, a chocolate raspberry preserve that was so good we simply ate spoonfuls of it straight from the jar, and all washed down with endless pots of tea.

I was sent home with an armful of rhubarb that Alfie harvested from their garden, which I later turned into rhubarb-strawberry mousse, two kinds of Mossfield cheeses and a jar of fresh pesto from Hey Pesto. After I mentioned that I’d always wanted to try making elderflower cordial myself, Margaret and Alfie cut dozens of elderflower heads for me from their trees, and even though I was tired from the six-hour round trip, I made a batch of this elderflower syrup as soon as I got home.

And, of course, we got sausages. Oldfarm’s Saddleback sausages have a stronger flavor than conventional sausages, so they stand up well to being featured as the star of a dinner dish. Sausages, peppers and onions is one of my favorite dinners and is traditionally made with Italian sausages, but since those are hard to come by in Ireland, I make it with good-quality butcher sausages instead, and Oldfarm’s are some of the best around.

The day out at Oldfarm showcased many of the things that are so special about artisan Irish food — it’s top-class, local, and produced with pride and passion by dedicated, generous people. If you’d like to try some of it for yourself, Margaret and Alfie sell their free-range Saddleback pork and bacon in 5 kg or 10 kg box schemes at €10 per kg, delivered right to your door. You can contact them at margaret.oldfarm@gmail.com or 086 810 0125 for more information, or follow Oldfarm on Facebook, Twitter or Margaret’s blog, A Year in Redwood.

Sausages, Peppers and Onions
adapted from Giada Di Laurentiis

Serves 4 to 6

Serve this as a sandwich on fresh rolls, on top of pasta, or on its own in bowls with plenty of crusty bread on the side. If serving as a sandwich, split the rolls in half lengthwise. Hollow out the bread from the bottom side of each roll, being careful not to puncture the crust, then fill the bottom half of the roll with the sausage mixture.

2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
1 lb (450 g) Italian sausages or good-quality butcher sausages
2 red peppers, sliced
2 yellow peppers, sliced
2 yellow onions, sliced
1 teaspoon kosher salt
1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
1 teaspoon dried basil
4 garlic cloves, thinly sliced
2 tablespoons tomato paste
1 cup (240 ml) red wine or water
1 x 14 oz (400 g) can of chopped tomatoes
1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes (optional)
a few basil leaves, roughly chopped or chiffonaded, to garnish (optional)

Heat the oil in a heavy large skillet over a medium heat. Add the sausages and cook until browned on both sides, about 7 to 10 minutes. Remove from the pan and drain.

Keeping the pan over a medium heat, add the peppers, onions, salt, and pepper and cook for 10 minutes, until golden brown and softened. Add the oregano, basil, and garlic and cook for 2 more minutes.

Add the tomato paste and stir. Add the wine or water, tomatoes, and chili flakes, if using. Stir to combine, scraping the bottom of the pan with a wooden spoon to release all the browned bits. Bring to a simmer.

Cut the sausages into 1-inch pieces. Add the sausage back to the pan and stir to combine. Cook for about 20 minutes, until the sauce has thickened. Garnish with fresh basil and serve as desired (see note above).

***

Elderflower Syrup
adapted from Darina Allen’s Ballymaloe Cookery Course by Darina Allen

Makes 2 cups (1 pint)

If you could bottle the essence of summertime, this would be it. Add this syrup to sparkling water or even a glass of champagne or Prosecco. Decant it into clean, sterilized bottles, or freeze the syrup in an ice cube tray. If you can’t find unwaxed lemons, lightly scrub them under warm water with a clean scrubbing brush before you zest them.

1 cup (200 g) superfine (caster) sugar
2 cups (1 pint) cold water
6 elderflower heads, in full bloom
zest and juice of 2 lemons, preferably organic and unwaxed

Put the sugar and water into a saucepan over a medium heat. Stir until the sugar dissolves. Add the elderflowers and bring to a boil. Boil for 5 minutes, then remove from the heat and add the lemon zest and juice. Set aside to cool, then cover and leave to infuse for 24 hours. Strain and pour into sterilized, clean bottles. Dilute as desired.

About seven or eight years ago, I made a Martha Stewart version of the infamous Campbell’s green bean casserole for the holidays. Instead of a can of cream of mushroom soup and a can of french-fried onions, her recipe called for Gruyère cheese, which back then I could only find in Dublin, and pan-fried shallots. I had such high hopes for the recipe, but for all the fancy ingredients, Matt and I swore it tasted just the same as the casserole of our childhoods. It had a bad work-to-glory ratio. What I love about the ham, which I’ve made every Christmas for the past five years, and these maple pecan pie squares, which I made a couple weeks ago, is that they have a high work-to-glory ratio. The gist of the theory is that the recipes are simple but absolutely delicious, as opposed to something that’s time consuming or difficult that winds up tasting not much better than what you can get out of a can. As much as I love to cook and indulge at the holidays, I’m all for basking in the glory of a house full of well-fed people at Christmas with a minimum amount of work.

***

Mulled Wine (Glühwein)
adapted from Rachel’s Favourite Food for Friends by Rachel Allen

Serves 6 to 8

1 bottle of red wine (you don’t need your best red, but something decent)
1/2 cup (100 g) sugar
1 cinnamon stick, broken in half
4 cloves
1/2 orange, cut into 4 chunks
1 lemon, cut into 4 chunks
1 cup (240 ml) brandy
halved orange slices from the remaining 1/2 orange, to serve

Put the wine, sugar, cinnamon, cloves, orange and lemon into a saucepan. Heat very gently, stirring to dissolve the sugar. Keep on a low heat, without boiling, for 5 minutes. Remove from the heat and add the brandy. Serve in glasses, each with a new orange slice in it.

***

Fully Festive Ham
adapted from Feast by Nigella Lawson

Serves 8 to 10

The only slightly tricky bit about this menu is timing the ham if you want to make the cabbage with the stock, since the ham takes about 4 hours to cook and the cabbage needs 1 hour. Just be sure to take note of that and leave yourself plenty of time.

7 1/2 to 8 lb (3.4 to 3.6 kg) ham
2 quarts (2 liters) apple juice
2 quarts (2 liters) cranberry juice
2 cinnamon sticks, halved
2 onions, halved but not peeled
1 tablespoon allspice berries (optional)

for the cranberry glaze:
4 tablespoons cranberry jelly or 6 tablespoons cranberry sauce
1 tablespoon runny honey
1 tablespoon English mustard powder
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon

Put the ham into a large saucepan and cover with cold water. Bring to a boil and then immediately drain and rinse the ham in a colander, which will get rid of any excess saltiness.

Rinse the saucepan and put the ham back in and add all of the above ingredients (except for the glaze). If the fruit juices don’t cover the ham, then add some water; it really depends on how snugly your ham fits into the pot. Bring the liquid to a boil and cook the ham at a fast simmer for about 3 1/2 to 4 hours. Partially cover the pot with a lid if the liquid is boiling away and the top of the ham is getting dry.

Once the ham is cooked, remove it from the hot and now salty juice, and sit it on a board (if you’re making the cabbage with the stock, don’t throw the stock away). If you want, you can cook this well ahead of schedule and let it get cold before glazing and roasting it. If that’s the case, cook it for half an hour less in the pot and then let it get cold in the cooking liquid.

But if you’re going ahead now, wait until the ham’s bearable to the touch – it’s easy to scald yourself on hot sugary fat – and then cut and peel the rind off the cooked ham, and make sure you have a thin layer of white fat off with it, or just use a knife to shave some fat off, so you’re left with a thin coating. Meanwhile, preheat the oven to 420°F, though you can make this work with whatever setting you need your oven to be.

Heat the remaining glaze ingredients together in a saucepan until the jelly or sauce melts into the honey, mustard and cinnamon to make a smooth glaze. It needs to be thick enough not to run off the ham in the oven.

Cover your roasting tin with two layers of tin foil (to make doubly sure nothing gets through) and place the ham in the tin. Pour the glaze over the ham so that all of the fat/top is covered. Put the ham into the oven and cook for 15 minutes or until the fat is coloured and burnished by the sugary glaze. If you’ve let the ham cool completely before you glaze it, it will need a good 40 minutes at 350°F and you might have to give a final blast of real heat at the end too. And this is based on its being at room temperature, not fridge cold, when it goes in.

***

Fully Festive Red Cabbage
adapted from Feast by Nigella Lawson

Serves 6

1 to 1 1/2 heads of red cabbage, shredded
cranberry and apple juice stock from the Fully Festive Ham

Bring the ham stock back to the boil and add the shredded cabbage. Cook for approx. 1 to 1 1/4 hours at a steady simmer, covering the pan if it’s losing too much liquid. Strain to serve.

***

Cranberry Chutney with Crystallized Ginger and Dried Cherries
adapted from A Homemade Life by Molly Wizenberg

Makes about 5 cups

This will keep for a week in the fridge, stored in an airtight container. Note that this chutney reaches its thick, jammy consistency only as it cools, so it will still be somewhat loose when you first remove it from the heat.

24 oz (680 g) apricot preserves
3/4 cup (180 ml) raspberry vinegar (or 3/4 cup (180 ml) white vinegar plus 1 1/2 teaspoons raspberry preserves)
pinch of salt
1/4 teaspoon ground cloves
1/4 cup (60 ml) Grand Marnier, Cointreau or Triple Sec (or orange juice for a nonalcoholic version)
24 oz (680 g) fresh cranberries, picked over
1/2 cup (70 g) finely chopped crystallized ginger
1 1/4 cups (150 g) dried cherries

In a large, heavy-bottomed saucepan, combine the apricot preserves, raspberry vinegar (or vinegar and raspberry preserves), salt, cloves and Grand Marnier. Stir to mix, then place over a medium-high heat. Bring the mixture back to a boil and cook for 10 to 15 minutes, or until it has thickened slightly. If will bubble, so stir it regularly with a long-handled wooden spoon to keep it from burning.

Reduce the heat to medium, add the cranberries and cook until they’re soft but not popped. When you hear one or two pop, it’s a good sign that the rest are getting soft. Add the ginger and cherries, stir well, and remove from the heat. Cool completely before serving. The chutney will thicken considerably as it cools.

***

Spiced Whipped Sweet Potatoes
adapted from Bon Appétit, November 2002

Serves 6 to 8

This dish can be made 1 day ahead (always a bonus for a big holiday dinner). Cover and refrigerate, then rewarm over a medium-low heat, stirring frequently. Alternatively, cover with plastic wrap and rewarm in a microwave oven on high until heated through.

6 x 8-oz (225-g) sweet potatoes (yams)
1/2 cup (packed) (85 g) golden brown sugar
1/4 cup (55 g) butter, room temperature
1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
2 teaspoons orange zest
3/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
3/4 teaspoon ground allspice
3/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
cinnamon sticks, to garnish (optional)
orange peel strips, to garnish (optional)

***

Maple Pecan Pie Squares with Bourbon Whipped Cream
adapted from Ezra Pound Cake

Makes 25 squares

Don’t be put off by the long list of ingredients and lengthy method. I made these in about 15 minutes, and with two little kids underfoot at that. These can be stored in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 3 days.

for the crust:
1 1/4 cups (150 g) all-purpose flour
1/3 cup (60 g) firmly packed golden brown sugar
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup (110 g) cold unsalted butter, cut into 3/4-inch pieces

for the maple pecan filling:
6 tablespoons (90 g) unsalted butter
1/3 cup (80 ml) pure maple syrup
2/3 cup (120 g) firmly packed golden brown sugar
1/3 cup (80 ml) heavy cream
2 cups (8 oz/250 g) coarsely chopped pecans (don’t chop them too small)

for the bourbon whipped cream:
1 cup (240 ml) whipping cream
1 tablespoon bourbon
1 tablespoon sugar

Position a rack in the center of the oven and preheat it to 350°F (180°C). Line a 9-inch square baking pan with aluminum foil or baking parchment paper, letting the foil or paper extend up the sides and over the edges. If using foil, butter the foil, or spray it with nonstick spray.

To make the crust, combine the flour, brown sugar and salt in a food processor (or by hand). Add the butter and pulse (or use a pastry blender) until the mixture forms pea-sized coarse crumbs. Press the crumbs into the bottom of the pan and bake until the edges are lightly browned and the top feels firm, 12 to 17 minutes. Set aside.

To make the filling, combine the butter, maple syrup and brown sugar in a small saucepan over a medium heat. Stir until the butter melts and the brown sugar dissolves. Bring to a boil and boil for 1 minute. Remove from the heat and immediately stir in the cream. Stir in the pecans. Pour the hot filling over the partially baked crust, spreading it to the edges with an offset spatula or wooden spoon.

Bake until the filling is set when you give the pan a gentle shake, 22 to 25 minutes. Transfer to a wire rack to cool until firm, about 1 1/2 hours.

Meanwhile, to make the bourbon whipped cream, whip the cream, bourbon and sugar together until soft peaks form. Taste and add more sugar if you think it needs it to balance the bourbon. Set aside in the fridge until ready to serve.

Using the ends of the foil or paper liner, carefully lift the maple-pecan square in its liner from the baking pan. Run a knife around the edges of the square to loosen it from the foil or paper. Using a large, sharp knife, cut into 25 small squares. Serve with a dollop of the bourbon whipped cream on the side.

I know what you’re thinking — it’s only November 9th and she already has her entire Thanksgiving menu planned? I could try to blame it on the blog and say that I just wanted to get these recipes out there so that anyone who wanted to make any of them would have them well ahead of time so they can plan accordingly themselves … and that’s partly true. It’s also true that I’ve been making most of these recipes for years now, so I’m more or less just sticking to my tried-and-tested menu. But it’s also true that I had my children’s big Christmas presents ordered in July. I can’t help it — as a third-generation Virgo, planning ahead is just in my blood.

I should point out that this turkey recipe only uses the crown, which means you won’t get that Norman Rockwell moment of bringing a whole gloriously roasted turkey to the table. But honestly, don’t most people prefer the breast meat anyway? I find that using only the crown makes it easier and less time consuming to cook, not to mention that it takes up a lot less space in my fridge. Having said that, though, you could easily play around with this recipe to adjust it for a whole turkey. For anyone curious about the method behind the madness of brining a turkey, there are some interesting articles about it here and here. As for me, I’ve been brining turkey for years and think it’s the only way to go.

Poinsettia Cocktail
from Nigella Christmas by Nigella Lawson

Makes 8 to 9 glasses

1 x 75cl bottle of Prosecco or other fizzy dry wine, chilled
120 ml Cointreau, Grand Marnier or Triple Sec, chilled
500 ml cranberry juice, chilled

Mix all the ingredients in a large pitcher. Pour into wine glasses or champagne flutes and serve.

***

Cider-brined Turkey with Maple Chili Glaze
adapted from A Kitchen Year by Paula McIntyre

Serves 8

1 x 11-lb (5-kg) turkey crown
4 oz (110 g) butter, softened
salt and freshly ground black pepper

for the brine solution:
9 oz (250 g) sea salt
3 cups (510 g) Demerara sugar or light brown sugar
8 cups (2 litres) cider
8 cups (2 litres) water
2 cinnamon sticks
juice and zest of 2 oranges
1 onion, chopped
handful fresh chopped sage, rosemary and thyme

for the maple chili glaze:
1 red chili
1 tablespoon vegetable oil
1 onion, finely chopped
4 tablespoons maple syrup
2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar
3/4 cup (180 ml) cider
salt

To make the brine, bring all the brine ingredients to the boil and simmer for 10 minutes. Cool completely and add the turkey. Refrigerate for at least 24 hours. Remove from the brine and pat dry with paper towels.

To make the glaze, soak the chili in boiling water for 20 minutes. When cool enough to handle, remove the seeds and chop roughly. Heat the oil in a saucepan over a medium heat and add the onion. Cook until the onion is soft and golden, about 10 minutes. Add the chopped chili, maple syrup, vinegar and cider and simmer until the liquid has reduced by half. Blend to a smooth puree in a blender or food processor and pass through a fine-meshed sieve (if you have one; don’t worry about it if you don’t). Return to the pan and simmer until it has reached a syrupy consistency, about 10 minutes. Check the seasoning.

To cook the turkey, preheat the oven to 350°F (180°C). Place the turkey on a roasting rack and rub all over with the softened butter. Season well with salt and pepper. Cover with tin foil and place in the oven. Cook for 1 hour. Remove the foil and brush the glaze all over. Return to the oven and baste every 10 minutes. A good rule of thumb for cooking turkey is to allow 30 minutes per 2 1/4 lb (1 kg) plus an extra 15 minutes’ cooking time. A 11-lb (5-kg) turkey breast will take just over 3 hours to cook and the internal temperature should register at least 160°F (70°C). Allow to rest at least 20 minutes before carving.

***

Homemade Stuffing
adapted from The New Vegetarian Epicure by Anna Thomas

Serves 10 (or enough for a 16 to 20-lb (7 to 9-kg) turkey or 2 medium casseroles)

Homemade stuffing isn’t nearly as hard to make as you might think, and it tastes so much better than Stovetop. This is the recipe I use for every Thanksgiving and Christmas dinner at our house now. It’s not as fancy or elaborate as a lot of stuffing recipes, but I like it for its unfussy simplicity. If you want to make this ahead (though not more than 1 day), make it up to the point where you spoon it into the casserole, then cook it in the oven when you want to serve it (though it might need longer in the oven than the 45 minutes given here).

3/4 cup (170 g) butter
2 cups chopped onions (2 or 3 onions)
2 cups sliced or chopped celery (3 or 4 stalks of celery)
1 to 2 teaspoons salt
freshly ground black pepper, to taste
3 teaspoons dried sage
3 teaspoons poultry seasoning
1/2 cup (10 g) chopped fresh parsley
2 to 3 tablespoons apple cider vinegar
4 quarts (about 4 liters) of 1/2-inch bread cubes
2 cups (480 ml) vegetable or chicken broth, or both

Preheat the oven to 350°F (180°C).

Melt the butter in a large pot and saute the chopped onion and celery in it until they are soft and just starting to color. Add about a teaspoon of salt, pepper to your taste, the herbs and the cider vinegar. Stir well and remove from the heat.

Put the bread cubes into the pot with the sauteed vegetables and herbs with all their butter, tossing everything together until it’s thoroughly combined. Drizzle on half the broth, toss again, and test. You’re aiming for a mixture that’s soft and moist throughout, but not soggy or soupy. Keep adding broth, a little at a time, mixing everything up well after each addition, until you have the consistency you like. The amount of broth used will vary quite a bit, depending on what kind of bread you use and how dry it is. If you’re roasting a turkey and plan to bake the stuffing separately but want the flavor of the turkey in it, you could add some drippings in place of part of the broth. In that case, however, cut down a little on the butter. If, on the other hand, you plan to stuff a turkey, leave the stuffing just a little on the dry side. When the texture feels right, taste and correct the seasoning with more salt or pepper if needed.

Spoon the stuffing into two buttered casserole dishes, or one very large one, cover well, and bake for about 45 minutes. Alternatively, spoon it into a turkey that’s been prepared for roasting.

***

Cranberry Sauce
adapted from The New Vegetarian Epicure by Anna Thomas

Serves 6 to 8

This keeps in the fridge for about 1 week, so is an ideal dish to make ahead.

12 oz (340 g) fresh cranberries
zest of 1 large orange
1 cup (240 ml) freshly squeezed orange juice
3/4 cup (150 g) sugar
1 teaspoon cinnamon
pinch of ground cloves

Wash the cranberries and discard any that are soft or spoiled. Combine the orange zest and juice in a heavy-bottomed saucepan with the sugar, cinnamon and cloves and bring to a boil, stirring to dissolve the sugar. Add the cranberries, return to a boil, and stir over a medium heat for 8 to 10 minutes. Use a long-handled wooden spoon, as the cranberries can really spit at you as they cook and pop. When most of the cranberries have popped and the liquid is somewhat thickened, the sauce is done. Pour it into a serving dish and allow it to cool, then chill.

***

Bourbon Sweet Potato Puree with Mascarpone and Caramelized Maple Pecans

Serves 6 to 8

These caramelized pecans (or you could use walnuts) would also make a wonderful accompaniment to an after-dinner cheese plate. They can also be made up to a few days in advance to save time on the day. If you like this puree, you’ll also like these bourbon-mashed sweet potatoes.

for the sweet potato puree:
3 lb (1.4 kg) sweet potatoes (2 or 3 large potatoes)
3 tablespoons bourbon
1/2 cup (120 ml) mascarpone

for the caramelized maple pecans:
1/3 cup (75 g) sugar
2 tablespoons maple syrup
1 cup (100 g) pecans

Preheat the oven to 400°F (200°C).

Line a baking sheet with aluminum foil. Prick the potatoes with a fork and place them on the baking sheet. Bake for about 1 to 1 1/2 hours, until the potatoes are tender. (If using very large potatoes, make sure they are cooked all the way through.)

Meanwhile, to make the caramelized maple pecans, place the sugar, maple syrup and pecans in a small saucepan on a medium heat. Allow the sugar and syrup to caramelize slightly, without stirring, which will take about 15 minutes. Gently swirl the pan to spread the sugar evenly, then replace the pan on the heat to allow the sugar to caramelize completely. Once all the sugar has melted and has nicely browned and caramelized, carefully pour the pecans onto parchment paper or a silicone baking mat. Allow the pecans to cool and harden, then break up the mixture to separate the nuts. Set aside.

When the potatoes are cool enough to handle, peel them and transfer to a food processor. Add the bourbon and mascarpone and process until the mixture is smooth.

Transfer the potato puree to a large gratin dish or casserole dish and smooth the top. Bake in the oven for 10 to 15 minutes, until heated through. Sprinkle the caramelized pecans evenly over the top and serve.

***

Roasted Winter Vegetables
adapted from Barefoot Contessa Family Style by Ina Garten

1 lb (450 g) carrots, peeled
1 lb (450 g) parsnips, peeled
1 large sweet potato, peeled
1 small butternut squash, peeled and seeded (about 2 lb/900 g)
3 tablespoons good-quality olive oil
1 1/2 teaspoons kosher salt
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
2 tablespoons chopped flat-leaf parsley

Preheat the oven to 425°F (220°C).

Cut the carrots, parsnips, sweet potato, and butternut squash into 1-inch cubes. All the vegetables will shrink while baking, so don’t cut them too small. Place all the cut vegetables in a single layer on 2 baking sheets. Drizzle them with olive oil, salt, and pepper and toss well. Bake for 25 to 35 minutes, until all the vegetables are tender, turning once with a metal spatula. Sprinkle with parsley, season to taste, and serve hot.

***

Nutmeg-maple Cream Pie
pie is adapted from The New York Times and the crust from Orangette

Serves 8

Pastry is not my forte, but I’ve had good results with this crust from Orangette. If you have your own favorite pie crust recipe, by all means use that instead, or use a store-bought pie shell. Smitten Kitchen has two helpful pie crust tutorials here and here.

for the nutmeg-maple cream pie filling:
3/4 cup (180 ml) maple syrup
2 1/4 cups (540 ml) heavy cream
4 egg yolks
1 whole egg
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg
1 teaspoon vanilla extract

for the crust:
4 tablespoons ice water, plus more as needed
3/4 teaspoon apple cider vinegar
1 1/2 cups (180 g) unbleached all-purpose flour
1 tablespoon sugar
3/4 teaspoon salt
9 tablespoons (4 1/2 oz/130 g) cold unsalted butter, cut into cubes

To make the crust, combine the 4 tablespoons of  ice water and the cider vinegar in a small bowl or measuring cup.

In the bowl of a food processor, combine the flour, sugar, and salt. Pulse to blend. Add the butter, and pulse until the mixture resembles a coarse meal; there should be no pieces of butter bigger than a large pea. With the motor running, slowly add the water-vinegar mixture, processing just until moist clumps form. If you pick up a handful of the dough and squeeze it in your fist, it should hold together. If the dough seems a bit dry, add more ice water by the teaspoon, pulsing to incorporate. (Molly at Orangette sometimes finds that 1 additional teaspoon is perfect.)

Turn the dough out onto a wooden board or clean countertop, and gather it, massaging and pressing, until it just holds together. Shape it into a ball, and press it into a disk about 1 1/2 inches thick. If the disk cracks a bit at the edges, don’t worry; just pinch the cracks together as well as you can. Wrap the dough in plastic wrap and then press it a bit more, massaging away any cracks around the edges, allowing the constraint of the plastic wrap to help you form it into a smooth disk. Refrigerate the wrapped dough for at least 2 hours. (Dough can be kept in the refrigerator for up to 4 days or frozen for up to 1 month. Thaw it in the refrigerator overnight before using.) Before rolling it out, allow the dough to soften slightly at room temperature.

On a lightly floured surface, roll the dough into a circle wide enough to fit a 9-inch removable-bottom pie dish. Transfer the dough gently into the dish and ease it into the corners and up the sides. Trim the edges to extend about 1/2 inch beyond the dish, then fold the overhang inward and press it against the side of the pan to reinforce the edge.

To par-bake the pie crust, preheat the oven to 350°F (180°C). Line the pie shell with foil or parchment paper and fill with pie weights or dried beans. Bake for 10 to 12 minutes or until it’s beginning to set. Remove the foil with weights and bake for 15 to 18 minutes longer, or until golden. If the shell puffs during baking, press it down with the back of spoon. Cool on a wire rack.

To make the pie filling, lower the oven to 300°F (150°C). In a medium saucepan over a medium-high heat, reduce the maple syrup by a quarter, 5 to 7 minutes. Stir in the cream and bring to a simmer. Remove from the heat.

In a medium bowl, whisk together the egg yolks and egg. Whisking constantly, slowly add the cream mixture to the eggs. Strain the mixture through a fine-mesh sieve into a cup or bowl with a pouring spout. Stir in the salt, nutmeg and vanilla.

To assemble, pour the filling into the crust and transfer to a rimmed baking sheet. Bake until the pie is firm to the touch but jiggles slightly when moved, about 1 hour. Let cool to room temperature before serving.