• Heat oven to 325 degrees.
• Place pie shell in oven and bake for 10 minutes, or according to instructions.
• Toast pecans in oven for 5-7 minutes, being careful not to burn them. Chop into pea-sized pieces.

Meanwhile prepare the filling:

• Melt butter in a medium metal bowl, set over a skillet of simmering water, or use a double boiler. Remove bowl and stir in the sugar and salt. Beat in the eggs, then the maple syrup and bourbon. Return bowl to the skillet of simmering water and bring mixture to 130 degrees on an instant-read thermometer, mixing continually. Remove from heat and stir in the pecans.
• Reduce oven temperature to 275 degrees, pour the mixture into heated pie shell, and bake on the middle rack for 50 minutes. The pie should have a gelatin-like texture at the center when gently pressed with the back of a spoon.
• Transfer pie to a rack and cool completely for at least 4 hours before cutting.

For the whipped cream:

• Place heavy cream, sugar, and vanilla in a mixing bowl that has been chilled in the freezer. Beat with electric beaters (or by hand with a whisk) on low speed for 30 seconds until bubbles start to form. Turn speed up to medium and beat for another 30 seconds. Finally, turn up to high and beat until semi-stiff peaks form. Do not overbeat.