Lee’s Over the Top Vermont Cheesecake

Crust:

2 cups crushed graham crackers
1/2 stick (1/4 cup) unsalted butter
1/4 cup pure maple syrup

In a food processor finely grind graham crackers Melt butter. In a large bowl stir together graham cracker crumbs, butter, and maple syrup and press evenly into bottom and up side of a 9-inch springform pan. Wrap bottom and side of pan with 2 layers of heavy-duty foil to avoid leakage.
Bake at 325 for 6 minutes

Filling:

3 8-ounce packages cream cheese, softened
3/4 cup pure maple syrup
3 large eggs
2 tsp vanilla
3/8 cup heavy cream
2 TBL Cornstarch

In bowl of a standing mixer fitted with paddle attachment or in a food processor beat cream cheese on low speed, scraping down side of bowl occasionally, until smooth. Add syrup and eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition. Add vanilla and cream and corn starch and beat until just combined.

Pour filling into crust and bake at 325 deg.F. for 1 hour and 15 minutes; then, proceed to test center of cake with a toothpick every 10 minutes until tester comes out clean. Then, turn off oven, leaving door closed for 30 minutes, then open door for another 30 minutes.

Topping:

1/2 cup of Maple Syrup
½ cup water
1 egg, beaten
1 ½ tablespoons cornstarch
½ cup chopped walnuts

To make the topping, bring the 1/2 cup of maple syrup and the ½ cup of water to a boil. Mix together the egg and the cornstarch. Add a little bit of the boiling syrup to the egg mixture so that the egg doesn’t cook before incorporating it all together. Spread over the cheesecake and garnish with the walnuts. Refrigerate.