Kumara or Sweet Potato Pie (New Zealand)

In a large bowl sift together the flour and icing sugar. Add the butter and use your fingertips to gently rub and combine until the mixture resembles coarse crumbs of different sizes but none larger than a pea.
Add the ice-cold water and gently mix with your hands until mixture comes together. Roll into a ball and wrap in plastic. Refrigerate while you steam the sweet potato.
Steam sweet potato chunks until tender.
Place chunks into a blender or food processor along with milk, sugar, butter, cinnamon, nutmeg and cloves. Blend until smooth. Let the mixture cool a little before adding the eggs and vanilla essence and then blend again to combine. Set aside.
Pre-heat the oven to 350F (180C).
Remove pie dough from fridge and place on a floured surface. Roll out to fit larger than the pie tin. Place dough in tin and press down onto base and up the sides with your fingers to make the shell. Trim the sides and then press down with a fork or your fingers.
Line pastry shell with baking paper and fill with pie weights. Bake in the oven for 10-12 minutes until partially cooked. Remove from oven and remove pie weights and baking paper. Cool for 1 or 2 minutes.
Pour sweet potato mixture into the pie shell and bake for a further 35-40 minutes. Remove from oven and cool.
Serve with whipping cream or vanilla Ice cream on the side.