DO AHEAD: Can be made 1 day ahead. Cover loosely with foil and keep chilled.
Using electric mixer, beat remaining ¾ cup cream, powdered sugar, and vanilla in medium bowl until medium-firm peaks form. Transfer whipped cream to pastry bag fitted with large star tip. Pipe whipped cream rosettes around edge of pie. Alternately, spread whipped cream decoratively over pie. Sprinkle crystallized ginger over whipped cream.
DO AHEAD: Can be made 6 hours ahead. Chill uncovered.
Cooking the sweet potatoes in the microwave helps this pie come together quickly, a fact you’ll appreciate when you’re rushing to make all those desserts for the Thanksgiving feast. 10 to 12 servings
Flaky Pie Crust dough disk (see recipe on page 233)
2 large red-skinned sweet potatoes (yams; about 1¾ pounds total)
¾ cup (packed) dark brown sugar
5 large egg yolks
2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
¼ teaspoon salt
¼ teaspoon ground nutmeg
1 cup heavy whipping creamSweetened whipped cream
Position rack in bottom third of oven and preheat to 375°F. Butter 10-inch-diameter glass pie dish. Roll out dough disk on floured surface to 13-inch round. Transfer to prepared pie dish. Trim dough overhang to ½ inch if necessary. Fold overhang under, forming edge, and crimp decoratively. Freeze 15 minutes.
Line crust with foil; fill with dried beans or pie weights. Bake until edge of crust is pale golden, about 25 minutes. Remove foil and beans. Continue to bake until bottom of crust is pale golden, about 5 minutes. Cool crust on rack. Reduce oven temperature to 325°F.
Meanwhile, pierce sweet potatoes in several places with fork or toothpick. Cook in microwave on high until tender, turning once, about 10 minutes. Cut potatoes open; cool. Scrape flesh into medium bowl; discard skins. Mash potatoes. Measure enough potatoes to equal 2 cups (reserve remainder for another use).
Combine 2 cups mashed sweet potatoes, brown sugar, egg yolks, lemon juice, vanilla, cinnamon, salt, and nutmeg in processor; puree until smooth. Transfer to bowl; mix in whipping cream. Pour into crust.
Bake pie until filling is set in center and top is no longer shiny, about 50 minutes. Transfer to rack and cool completely.
DO AHEAD: Can be made 1 day ahead. Chill uncovered until cold, then cover and keep chilled.
Serve pie cold with whipped cream.
Some of the pecans for this pie are toasted to an aromatic brown before being finely ground and stirred into the otherwise traditional pecan-pie filling. The results are rich and delicious. Avoid an oily mess by making sure that the nuts are cooled completely before grinding them. 10 servings
Crust
1⅓ cups unbleached all purpose flour
½ teaspoon salt
½ cup (1 stick) chilled unsalted butter, cut into ½-inch cubes
4 tablespoons (or more) ice water
Filling
3 cups pecans, divided
6 large eggs
2 cups sugar
2 cups dark corn syrup
¼ cup (½ stick) unsalted butter, melted
1 tablespoon vanilla extract
¼ teaspoon salt
Lightly sweetened whipped cream
CRUST: Blend flour and salt in processor 10 seconds. Add butter; using on/off turns, cut in until mixture resembles coarse meal. Add 4 tablespoons ice water and blend just until moist clumps form, adding more ice water by teaspoonfuls if mixture is dry. Gather dough into ball; flatten into disk. Wrap in plastic and chill 1 hour.
DO AHEAD: Can be made 1 day ahead. Keep chilled. Let soften slightly at room temperature before rolling out.
FILLING: Preheat oven to 350°F. Coarsely chop 2 cups pecans and reserve. Spread remaining 1 cup pecans on rimmed baking sheet. Toast in oven until nuts are aromatic and darker in color, about 12 minutes. Cool nuts completely, then grind finely in processor. Maintain oven temperature.
Roll out dough disk on lightly floured surface to 13-inch round (crust will be thin). Transfer to 10-inch-diameter glass pie dish. Fold dough overhang under, forming high-standing rim; crimp edges decoratively. Freeze crust 20 minutes.
Whisk eggs in large bowl until frothy. Add sugar, corn syrup, melted butter, vanilla, salt, and ground toasted pecans; whisk until blended. Mix in chopped pecans. Pour filling into crust.
Bake pie until crust is golden and filling is puffed and set (center may still move slightly when dish is shaken), about 1 hour 10 minutes. Transfer to rack and cool at least 3 hours.
DO AHEAD: Can be made 8 hours ahead. Let stand at room temperature.
Serve slightly warm or at room temperature with whipped cream.
The rich, gooey filling of this sweet treat is reminiscent of a pecan pie. For an intense chocolate flavor, choose bittersweet chocolate; for a milder taste, go for semisweet. 8 servings
4 ounces bittersweet or semisweet chocolate, chopped
3 tablespoons unsalted butter
1¼ cups dark corn syrup
¾ cup sugar
4 large eggs
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
¾ teaspoon almond extractPinch of salt
3 cups sliced almonds, toasted
1 Cinnamon Pastry Crust (see recipe), chilled
Position rack in center of oven and preheat to 350°F. Stir chocolate and butter in large metal bowl set over saucepan of simmering water until melted and smooth. Remove bowl from over water. Mix in corn syrup and sugar. Whisk in eggs, vanilla extract, almond extract, and salt. Stir in toasted almonds.
Pour filling into prepared crust. Bake pie until filling is set around edges but moves slightly in center when pie is gently shaken and crust is golden brown, tenting with foil if crust browns too quickly, about 1 hour. Transfer pie to rack and cool slightly.
Serve warm or at room temperature.
Toasted nuts and a bit of cinnamon make this the perfect crust for fall pies. Makes one 9-inch crust
1½ cups unbleached all purpose flour
⅓ cup walnuts or slivered almonds, toasted
2 tablespoons sugar
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
½ teaspoon salt
½ cup (1 stick) chilled unsalted butter, cut into ½-inch cubes
2 tablespoons chilled non-hydrogenated solid vegetable shortening, cut into ½-inch pieces
2 tablespoons (or more) ice water
Blend flour, nuts, sugar, cinnamon, and salt in processor until nuts are coarsely ground. Add butter and shortening; using on/off turns, process until coarse meal forms. Add 2 tablespoons ice water; using on/off turns, blend until small moist clumps form, adding more ice water by teaspoonfuls if dough is dry. Gather dough into ball; flatten into disk. Wrap in plastic and chill until cold, at least 30 minutes.