BROWN SUGAR CHEESECAKE WITH BOURBON BUTTERSCOTCH SAUCE

Brown Sugar Cheesecake with Bourbon Butterscotch Sauce image

Yield Makes 12 servings

Number Of Ingredients 18

For crust
1/3 cup pecans
16 thin chocolate wafer cookies
four 5- by 2 1/2-inch graham crackers
1/3 cup packed dark brown sugar
3/4 stick (6 tablespoons) unsalted butter, softened
1/4 teaspoon salt
For filling
three 8-ounce packages cream cheese, softened
4 large eggs
3 tablespoons bourbon
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 cup packed dark brown sugar
For topping
a 16-ounce container of sour cream
2 tablespoons packed dark brown sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla
Accompaniment:bourbon butterscotch sauce

Steps:

Make crust:
Preheat oven to 350° F.
In a baking pan toast pecans in one layer in middle of oven until golden, about 10 minutes, and cool. In a food processor finely grind pecans, wafers, and graham crackers. Add brown sugar, butter, and salt and pulse until combined well. Transfer mixture to a 9 1/2-inch springform pan and press evenly onto bottom and 1 1/2 inches upside.
Make filling:
In a bowl with an electric mixer beat cream cheese until fluffy and add eggs, 1 at a time, beating at low speed until just combined. Beat in bourbon, vanilla, and brown sugar until just combined.
Pour filling into crust and put springform pan in a baking pan. Bake cake in middle of oven for 35 minutes. Leaving oven on, transfer cake in springform pan to a rack and let stand 5 minutes. (Center of cake will set as it cools.)
Make topping:
In a bowl stir together sour cream, brown sugar, and vanilla.
Drop spoonfuls of topping around edge of cake and spread gently over center, smoothing evenly. Bake cake in baking pan in middle of oven 10 minutes and cool completely in springform pan on rack. Chill cake, covered, at least 8 hours and up to 4 days.
Run a thin knife around inside edge of pan and remove side of pan. Transfer cake to a serving plate and let stand at room temperature 30 minutes.
Serve cake with sauce.