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1
Mix the crust.
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2
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.
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3
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.
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4
Place the ginger on a cutting board and dust it with a little of the flour, then finely chop it.
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5
Gradually add the remainder of the flour and the chopped ginger to the butter mixture, beating until incorporated.
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6
Turn out the dough onto a lightly floured board and flatten into a disc.
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7
Wrap the dough in plastic food wrap and refrigerate until--at least 2 hours or overnight.
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8
Bake the sweet potatoes.
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9
Meanwhile, preheat the oven to 325F.
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10
Place the sweet potatoes on a baking sheet and bake until tender--about 45 minutes.
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11
Transfer the baking sheet to a wire rack and set aside until the potatoes are cool enough to handle.
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12
Bake the crust.
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13
Roll out the dough on a lightly floured board, forming a round less than 18-inch thick.
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14
Transfer it to a 9-inch pie pan or tart ring and trim the edges to fit the pan.
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15
Refrigerate until firm--about 1 hour.
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16
Preheat the oven to 350F.
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17
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.
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18
Bake the crust until the edges are golden--for 15 to 20 minutes.
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19
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.
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20
Remove from the oven and let cool on a wire rack.
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21
Lower the oven temperature to 275F.
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22
Make the filling.
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23
Peel the sweet potatoes, cut into large chunks, and place in the container of a food processor fitted with a blade.
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24
Add the stock and process until a smooth puree forms.
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25
Add the granulated and brown sugars; process until blended.
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26
Blend in the ginger, cinnamon, and salt.
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27
Add the half-and-half and then the eggs one at a time, processing until smooth after each addition.
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28
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.
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29
Transfer the pie to a wire rack to cool completely.
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30
To serve, remove the outer ring if you used a tart pan and transfer the pie to a plate.
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31
Cut the pie into wedges and serve, topping each piece with ice cream if desired.
