Instructions: Serves 12

This stylish pie is smooth, rich, creamy-and brimming with spices that conjure up the comforting aromas of holiday baking. In fact, its a natural replacement for the all too common pumpkin pie. I bake, rather than boil, the sweet potatoes for the filling, which produces a more intense flavor.

On special occasions, I garnish each serving of the pie with a dollop of mock whipped cream and a sprinkle of ground nutmeg or cinnamon.

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.

Spray a 10-inch round pie pan 3 times with the vegetable oil to coat.

Put all the remaining ingredients for the crust in the bowl of a food processor. Pulse 5 times. Transfer the mixture to the prepared pan and press down firmly, spreading the crumb crust until it covers the bottom evenly.

Peel the sweet potatoes, then put them in a large mixing bowl and mash them with a fork. Transfer the potatoes to a blender and add all the remaining filling ingredients. Whip until the mixture is smooth and frothy, scraping down the sides as necessary so all the ingredients are blended. Pour the filling into the crust.

Bake for 30 to 45 minutes, until the center of the pie is firm and not sticky to the touch. Transfer the pan to a rack and allow the pie to cool for 30 minutes, then refrigerate for 1 hour.

Baking Sweet Potatoes

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Scrub and dry the sweet potatoes. Prick the surface of each potato 4 times with the tines of a fork. Place the potatoes onto the center rack of the oven and bake for about 1 hour, until tender.

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