Double-Decker Pecan Cheesecake Pie

Ingredients

CRUST

Single-Crust Pie Pastry

CREAM CHEESE FILLING

1 (8-oz.) pkg. cream cheese, at room temperature

1 large egg

1 teaspoon vanilla bean paste

1/2 teaspoon kosher salt

1/3 cup granulated sugar

BROWN SUGAR FILLING

2 large eggs

1/2 cup packed light brown sugar

1/2 cup dark or light corn syrup

1 to 2 tablespoons (1/2 to 1 oz.) Tennessee whiskey

1 teaspoon vanilla bean paste or vanilla extract

ADDITIONAL INGREDIENTS

1/2 cup chopped pecans

1 1/4 cups pecan halves

Directions

Prepare the Crust: Preheat oven to 375°F. Unwrap chilled pie dough disk from Single-Crust Pie Pastry, and place on a lightly floured surface. Let stand at room temperature until slightly softened, about 5 minutes. Sprinkle dough with flour, and roll into a 12-inch circle. Carefully fit dough circle into a 9-inch deep-dish glass pie plate; fold edges under, and crimp. Line pastry with parchment paper, and fill with pie weights or dried beans.

Bake in preheated oven 15 minutes. Transfer piecrust to a wire rack, and remove pie weights and parchment. Let crust cool 30 minutes.

Prepare the Cream Cheese Filling: Beat cream cheese, egg, vanilla bean paste, and salt in a medium bowl with an electric mixer on medium speed until light and fluffy, 1 to 2 minutes. Add sugar, and beat until filling is smooth and fluffy, about 2 minutes. Spoon filling into prepared piecrust.

Prepare the Brown Sugar Filling: Whisk eggs until bright yellow and well combined. Add brown sugar, corn syrup, Tennessee whiskey, and vanilla bean paste, and whisk together until thickened and smooth.

Sprinkle chopped pecans over Cream Cheese Filling in piecrust. Gently spoon Brown Sugar Filling over chopped pecans. Arrange pecan halves over Brown Sugar Filling. Place pie on a baking sheet. Bake at 375°F for 10 minutes. Reduce oven temperature to 350°F, and bake until filling is puffed up and set and crust is golden brown, 40 to 45 minutes. Transfer pie to a wire rack, and cool completely, 2 to 3 hours.