Pecan Pie Cheesecake

Ingredients

• 2 cups graham cracker crumbs
• ⅓ cup butter, melted
• 16 oz cream cheese, at room temperature
• ¾ cup sugar
• ¼ cup milk
• ½ cup sour cream
• 2 tablespoons flour
• 3 teaspoons bourbon whiskey vanilla extract, divided
• 2 eggs
• 1 cup dark brown sugar
• ¼ cup cornstarch
• ½ teaspoon salt
• 4 egg yolks
• ⅔ cup maple syrup, or dark corn syrup
• ½ cup cream, warm to the touch
• 4 tablespoons butter, cold
• 2 cups roasted pecan, chopped
• whole roasted pecan, to serve

Preheat oven to 325°F (170°C).

1. In a bowl, combine the graham cracker crumbs and melted butter. Stir to combine.
2. Pour the mixture into a 9-inch (23 cm) springform pan and press it evenly into the bottom and halfway up the sides. Transfer to the refrigerator to chill.
3. In a large bowl add the cream cheese, sugar, and milk. With a hand mixer, beat until fluffy and fully incorporated.
4. Add in the sour cream, flour, 2 teaspoons of the bourbon, and the two eggs and gently continue to mix until the cream cheese filling is smooth.
5. Pour the mixture into the springform pan with the graham cracker crust and bake for 1 hour, or until the cheesecake no longer jiggles. (I'm going to let it cool for an hour in the oven as traditional cheesecake recipes call for.)
6. While the cheesecake is cooking, prepare the stove-top pecan pie filling.
7. In a bowl combine the brown sugar, cornstarch, and salt, stir together and pour into a medium saucepan on low heat.
8. Pour in the egg yolks, maple syrup, and warm cream and whisk until smooth.
9. Cook on low heat until the mixture thickens like a pudding, 5-10 minutes. Remove from the heat.
10. Stir in the cold butter and the final teaspoon of bourbon and whisk until fully emulsified. The pudding-like mixture should be around room temperature.
11. Fold in the roasted, chopped pecans and then pour the mixture over the cooked cheesecake and spread it out as an even layer.
12. If you like, sprinkle with extra chopped pecans or garnish with whole pecans.
13. Let the cheesecake chill in the refrigerator until completely set.
14. Slice and serve cold or at room temperature.

Note: I originally found this recipe on https://tasty.co, but when I went to look for it, the recipe wasn't there. Instead, I found https://tasty.co/recipe/kentucky-derby-pecan-pie-cheesecake which was the exact same recipe subbing bourbon for vanilla. I have made this pie a few times and wanted it somewhere it could be remembered.