Sweet Potato Pie

For the crust:

1. (Note: see recipe notes below if you want to use a store bought crust). Pulse the flour with salt and sugar in a food processor. Add the cold butter cubes and pulse a few more times until no large butter chunks remain. Then add in the shortening and pulse again. Slowly begin to stream in the water about a tablespoon at a time. You need to add just enough to be able moisten the dough, it will look a little shaggy still. Turn out the dough onto a lightly floured surface.
2. Gently knead the dough until it comes together into a disk. You don't want to overwork the dough here, just work it enough until it comes together. Wrap in plastic wrap and and refrigerate for at least 1 hour or up to 3 days.
3. Once chilled, roll the dough on a lightly floured surface into a circle that is about 12 inches in diameter using a rolling pin. If the edges are craggly or breaking, feel free to gently re-knead the dough just a little more, then roll out into a smooth circle.
4. Transfer the dough to a 9 inch pie dish. Trim and seal the dough OR I like to also fold the over hang of dough underneath to create a thicker wall of dough at the edge. Tucking in the excess also helps to reinforce the walls of the pie. You can crimp the dough making a “v” with two fingers one hand on the outside of the pie crust and the index finger of the opposite hand to make an indent in the pie crust. Use scraps to repair dough if needed. Freeze the dough for 15-30 minutes to keep the dough nice and chilled, this will solidify the fat, which helps prevent shrinkage.
5. Preheat the oven to 425°F. Place a piece of foil on the bottom crust and top with the pie weights. (Use dried beans, sugar or rice if you don't have pie weights)
6. Bake the pie crust for 10-15 minutes just until edges are set and lightly brown. This is just to partially blind bake the crust. Cool the crust to room temperature.

For the roasted sweet potato pie filling:

1. Preheat the oven to 425°F. Line a baking sheet with foil. Prick the sweet potatoes all over with a fork and place on the baking sheet. Bake for 45 minutes-1 hour or until very soft and tender. Remove from the oven and let cool for at least 30 minutes. Peel, discard the skins, and mash the sweet potatoes in a mixing bowl or blitz until smooth in a food processor. (Should yield about 2½-3 cups.) Reduce the oven temperature to 350°F.
2. Melt the butter in a sauce pan and add in the cinnamon stick and cloves. Let this cook over low heat for 5 minutes, then remove from heat and discard cloves and cinnamon stick.
3. Use a stand mixer fitted with the whisk attachment or a hand mixer, beat the melted butter with remaining filling ingredients until smooth, light, and fluffy. (Be sure the sweet potato is no longer hot when mixing. Let sweet potato cool after roasting).
4. Pour this mixture into cooled pie crust and bake for 45 minutes or until the filling is set and barely jiggles in the center.
5. Let cool for at least another 45 minutes before serving. Top with whipped cream and enjoy!