- 1 1/4 cups unsalted butter (2 1/2 sticks), softened
- 1 1/2 cups confectioners' sugar
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 2 large eggs
- 2 tablespoons crystallized ginger
- 4 cups all-purpose flour
- 2 medium sweet potatoes (about 2?3 pound)
- 1/2 cup vegetable stock, preferably homemade, or water
- 1/2 cup granulated sugar
- 1/4 cup light brown sugar
- 1 teaspoon ground ginger
- 3/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1 1/2 cups half-and-half
- 3 large eggs
- Vanilla or ginger ice cream for serving (optional)
- Mix the crust. Using an electric mixer on medium-low speed, cream the butter with the confectioners' sugar and salt in a large bowl until light and fluffy–3 to 5 minutes. Add the eggs one at a time, beating until smooth and scraping down the sides of the bowl with a rubber spatula after each addition. Place the ginger on a cutting board and dust it with a little of the flour, then finely chop it.
- Gradually add the remainder of the flour and the chopped ginger to the butter mixture, beating until incorporated. Turn out the dough onto a lightly floured board and flatten into a disc. Wrap the dough in plastic food wrap and refrigerate until–at least 2 hours or overnight.
- Bake the sweet potatoes. Meanwhile, preheat the oven to 325°F. Place the sweet potatoes on a baking sheet and bake until tender–about 45 minutes. Transfer the baking sheet to a wire rack and set aside until the potatoes are cool enough to handle.
- Bake the crust. Roll out the dough on a lightly floured board, forming a round less than 1?8-inch thick. Transfer it to a 9-inch pie pan or tart ring and trim the edges to fit the pan. Refrigerate until firm–about 1 hour. Preheat the oven to 350°F. Line the dough in the pan with parchment paper, then fill it with pie weights or dried beans to keep the bottom of the crust from rising during baking. Bake the crust until the edges are golden–for 15 to 20 minutes. Remove the crust from the oven and lift out the pie weights and parchment paper; return the crust to the oven and bake until the inside is light golden–for 10 minutes more. Remove from the oven and let cool on a wire rack. Lower the oven temperature to 275°F.
- Make the filling. Peel the sweet potatoes, cut into large chunks, and place in the container of a food processor fitted with a blade. Add the stock and process until a smooth puree forms. Add the granulated and brown sugars; process until blended. Blend in the ginger, cinnamon, and salt. Add the half-and-half and then the eggs one at a time, processing until smooth after each addition. Pour the filling into the baked pie shell and bake until the filling is set and a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean–45 to 60 minutes. Transfer the pie to a wire rack to cool completely.
- To serve, remove the outer ring if you used a tart pan and transfer the pie to a plate. Cut the pie into wedges and serve, topping each piece with ice cream if desired.