Step 1

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F (200 degrees C).

Step 2

Bake sweet potatoes until fork-tender, 40 to 50 minutes. Cool until easily handled.

Step 3

Peel and mash sweet potatoes. Make sure all lumps are removed, straining if necessary.

Step 4

Lightly beat eggs. Blend together eggs and sweet potatoes. Stir in sugar, salt, cinnamon, ginger, and cloves. Blend in cream. Pour into pie shell.

Step 5

Bake in the preheated oven for 45 to 55 minutes, or until knife inserted halfway between center and edge of pie comes out clean. Cool completely on a rack.

Step 6

Make the caramelized pecan topping. Combine butter or margarine, brown sugar, and pecans. Gently drop by spoonfuls over cooled pie to cover top. Broil 5 inches below heat until mixture begins to bubble, about 3 minutes. Watch carefully, if cooked too long, top will turn syrupy. Cool on rack.