Place the bourbon and bacon in a bowl, cover and chill for at least one hour.

Place the sweet potatoes on a foil lined baking sheet and bake until tender around one hour.

Halve the potatoes and allow to cool just until safe to handle.

Drain the bacon but reserve the bourbon. Pat the bacon dry then cook in a skillet until crisp and golden around ten minutes.

Remove to a kitchen paper lined plate.

Pour away any excess drippings in the skillet.

Add the reserved bourbon and two tablespoons of brown sugar to the skillet as well as the red pepper flakes and cook stirring constantly over a medium heat until you have a thick syrup this will take around 5-6 minutes.

Add in the reserved bacon and pecans and stir to coat well then tip onto a lined baking sheet and allow to cool completely.

Scoop the sweet potato flesh into a large mixing bowl and add in a quarter of a cup of brown sugar, cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg, butter, eggs and salt.

Beat with a mixer until smooth.

Transfer to a baking dish and bake in the oven until the edges are set around 30 minutes.

Sprinkle the sweet potato pie with the candied bacon and pecans and remaining two tablespoons of brown sugar.

Place back in the oven for 5-7 minutes until the topping is golden brown.