Autumn Sweet Potato Pie

Why not mix it up come Thanksgiving and serve this spicy sweet potato pie in place of pumpkin?

MAKES: one 9-inch pie; 8 to 10 servings

PREP TIME: 30 minutes

CHILLING TIME: 30 minutes

COOKING TIME: about 2 hours

INGREDIENTS:

• ½ batch of Perfect Pastry
• 2 large sweet potatoes (about 1 ½ lb/750 g)
• ¾ cup whole milk
• ½ cup whipping cream (35%)
• ⅓ cup granulated sugar
• 2 large eggs
• ¼ tsp freshly grated nutmeg
• ¼ tsp ground cloves
• ¼ tsp ground cinnamon
• ¼ tsp fine sea salt
• ¼ cup crystallized ginger, finely chopped
• For Cinnamon Whipped Cream:
  • 1 cup whipping cream (35%)
  • 5 Tbsp granulated sugar
  • 1 ½ tsp vanilla extract
  • ¼ tsp ground cinnamon

INSTRUCTIONS:

1. On a lightly floured work surface, roll out the pastry and line a 9-inch pie dish (see this page). Refrigerate for at least 30 minutes.
2. When ready to bake, preheat the oven to 375ºF.
3. Blind bake the pie crust (see this page). Let cool completely. Increase the oven temperature to 400ºF.
4. For the filling, pierce the sweet potatoes in several places with a fork. Place them on a baking sheet, then bake until very tender, about 1 hour, 15 minutes.
5. Remove the sweet potatoes from the oven. Leave the oven on.
6. When the sweet potatoes are cool enough to handle, cut them in half and scoop out the flesh.
7. In a food processor fitted with the steel blade, pulse the sweet potato flesh until smooth. Add the milk, cream, sugar, eggs, ground spices and salt. Pulse until smooth and well combined.
8. Scrape the sweet potato mixture into a medium bowl. Stir in the ginger.
9. Pour the sweet potato mixture into the prepared pie crust. Bake for 10 minutes. Turn down the oven temperature to 375ºF. Bake until the pastry is golden brown and a wooden skewer inserted in the centre of the filling comes out clean, about 30 minutes. Let the pie cool to room temperature on a wire rack.
10. For the cinnamon whipped cream, in a medium bowl and using an electric mixer, beat the cream, sugar, vanilla extract and cinnamon until stiff peaks form.
11. Garnish the pie with the whipped cream.

Enjoy your delicious Sweet Potato Pie with Cinnamon Whipped Cream!