Ingredients:
 
 
1 1/4 cups unbleached all-purpose flour (6 1/4 ounces)
1/2 teaspoon table salt
1 tablespoon sugar
6 tablespoons (3/4 stick) cold unsalted butter, cut into 1/4-inch slices
1/4 cup vegetable shortening, cold, cut into two pieces
2 tablespoons vodka, cold (see above)
2 tablespoons cold water

 
1 cup heavy cream
1 cup whole milk
3 large eggs plus 2 large yolks
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 (15-ounce) can pumpkin puree
1 cup drained candied yams from 15-ounce can (see note)
3/4 cup sugar
1/4 cup maple syrup
2 teaspoons grated fresh ginger
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1 teaspoon table salt
 
Directions:

 
Process 3/4 cup flour, salt, and sugar in food processor until combined, u8sing 1-second pulses.
 
Add the butter and the shortening to the flour mixture and process until the dough just starts to collect in uneven clumps. The dough will resemble cottage cheese curds with some very small pieces of butter remaining, but there should be no uncoated flour.
 
Scrape the bowl with a rubber spatula and redistribute the dough evenly around processor blade. Add the remaining 1/2 cup flour to the mixture and pulse until it is evenly distributed around bowl and mass of dough has been broken up.
 
Empty the dough mixture into medium mixing bowl and sprinkle the vodka and water over mixture.
 
Use a rubber spatula in a folding motion to mix the dough, pressing down while mixing, until the dough is slightly tacky and sticks together.
 
Remove the dough and flatten it into 4-inch disk. Wrap in plastic and refrigerate at least 45 minutes or up to 2 days.

Adjust your oven rack to the lowest position and place a rimmed baking sheet on rack. Pre heat the heat oven to 400 degrees.
 
Remove the dough from the refrigerator and roll it out with a rolling pin on generously floured work surface until it is a 12-inch circle about 1/8 inch thick.
 
Roll the dough loosely around rolling pin and unroll into pie plate, leaving at least 1-inch overhang on each side.
 
Working around the circumference of the pie plate, ease the dough into the plate by gently lifting edge of the dough with one hand while pressing the dough into the pie plate bottom with other hand. Once the dough is correctly placed in the pie plate, refrigerate it for 15 minutes.

Trim the overhang to 1/2 inch beyond lip of pie plate and fold the overhang under itself. The folded edge should be flush with the edge of pie plate. Using your thumb and forefinger, flute edge of dough.
 
Refrigerate dough-lined plate until firm. This should take between 15 and 20 minutes.

Remove the pie pan from refrigerator once the dough has firmed up and line crust with foil. Fill the crust with pie weights or pennies and bake on the rimmed baking sheet 15 minutes.
 
Remove the foil and weights, rotate the plate, and bake 5 to 10 additional minutes or until the crust is golden brown and crisp. Remove pie plate and baking sheet from oven.

 
While pie shell is baking, whisk the cream, milk, eggs, yolks, and vanilla together in medium mixing bowl.
 
Combine the pumpkin puree, yams, sugar, maple syrup, ginger, cinnamon, nutmeg, and salt in large heavy-bottomed saucepan and bring the mixture to a simmer over medium heat. Continue to simmer the pumpkin mixture, stirring constantly and mashing yams against sides of pot, until the mixture is thick and shiny.

Remove the pan from the heat and whisk in the cream mixture until it is fully incorporated. Strain the mixture through fine-mesh strainer set over medium bowl while using the back of a ladle or spatula to press the solids through strainer.
 
Whisk the mixture once again and transfer it to the warm pre baked pie shell. Return the pie plate with baking sheet to oven and bake pie for 10 minutes.
 
Reduce the heat to 300 degrees and continue baking until edges of pie are set and an instant-read thermometer inserted in center registers 175 degrees. This should take about 20 to 35 minutes.
 
Transfer the pie to wire a rack and let it cool to room temperature.
 
Once the pie has cooled, cut it into wedges and serve with whipped cream if desired.